Gohan goes to boarding school!
by Trinity-Neo1818
Summary: This fic is based on previous experince. Gohan goes to boarding school in a far away country where he doesn't know anything about the language or customs. But the biggest problem of all his trying to hide his amazing super sayian power! Can Gohan manage?
1. Arrival

"Son Gohan, this is your fist day of high school and therefore you are going to wear a tie, weather you like it or not."  
  
Gohan struggled under his mother's firm grasp. "I don't want to go to some dumb Christian boarding school." The boy sobbed. "Can't you just let me stay at home?"  
  
"It's an honor to get into such a high esteemed school. Not every little boy can get a scholarship. I'm sure your father would be very happy with you right now."  
  
Happy? Gohan knew that his martial arts obsessed father wouldn't agree to having his eldest son sent away to a Christian school where violence isn't encouraged. Besides, Gohan wasn't even Christian; let alone catholic, so it was a joke that he got accepted into the school.  
  
But still, they set off that morning by bus. After walking to the nearest town, Gohan, his crazy mother, Chi-Chi and his one year old baby brother, Goten.  
  
Gohan didn't often catch the bus. He didn't like the way other people would stare at him. Both his parents were what you'd call a 'natty dresser' and the site of a twelve year old kid wearing a suit and tie, or a training outfit to go with his long, shabby black pony didn't really make a good match. Also, people were often scared of his eyes and the way he would stare darkly at someone...  
  
They arrived at the airport at one am.  
  
"Alright Gohan, take care on the plane and make sure you behave yourself. After all, it is a Christian school."  
  
Chi-Chi pulled him into a rib crushing hug. Goten began to cry as his brother took his bags and departed at the airport, knowing he wouldn't see any of his family or Japan until the holidays.  
  
*****  
  
"Hey Vicky!" Faye grinned as she warmly greeted her friend. "How was your summer?"  
  
Vicky pulled a face. With such a slender face, pale against her long black hair and deep green eyes, Vicky could make the most comical looks.  
  
"I spent it at my grandmothers. What did you do?"  
  
Faye shrugged. "Ate."  
  
The two friends made their way through the gate and into their school. Another year of backbreaking study and lack of fun. How could they cope?  
  
*****  
  
Gohan stretched, sitting up in the plane. A slight delay had caused the plane to be late. Though the whole plane was both frustrated and amused with the young boy who managed somehow to eat two days worth of plane travel food in one hour had caused them to back away. As well as consuming all the usual revolting plane food, he had also eaten the pilot's bag of doughnuts and several tins of baked beans.  
  
The passengers were wisely keeping their distance.  
  
But it pleased Gohan secretly. It meant that he would have more time to wait until school started.  
  
This Ellawin boarding school for boys and girls didn't sound at all like the place Gohan wanted to spend his schooling life. He wished he had flunked the test and never got that scholarship.  
  
Looking out over the rising sun of a new day, Gohan began to wish his mother had let him fly. Perhaps there was a way out of the plane?  
  
Getting to his feet, Gohan attracted stares from every passenger in the plane. Gohan knew they all thought he was off to the bathroom and he felt his hands and face grow hot.  
  
Unfortunately, there was no way for him to get his stuff from under the plane. Gohan was going to have to sit tight.  
  
They finally landed and Gohan quickly gathered his bags. Instead of taking the bus like was planned, he decided to fly overhead and get to his school the faster way. He was already late for the welcome day.  
  
"Hey, are you one of the Ellawin kids?" A stewardess asked him, passing by with an empty food trolley. "Cause your bus leaves in a minute."  
  
"Uh, yeah." Gohan replied meekly and let her lead him to the bus turbo.  
  
The bus was packed with heaps of kids, carrying heavy bags and boarding the bus hurriedly. They were some of the many late comers. Gohan felt weak as he realized they all knew each other. He would be the only one on the bus who didn't have anyone to sit with.  
  
He needn't have worried as most had to stand in the cramped bus anyway. Gohan noticed that all the boys stood up for the girls and acted in a very polite way. He would never fit in.  
  
The bus jerked and Gohan fell forward, landing flat on his face. Clumsily, he got to his feet only to trip over his bag again. He could hear everyone laughing at him from all over the bus. He didn't bother getting up again.  
  
The bus stopped and the doors opened. Pounding feet scurried past him to get to school. One particularly large grade twelve stopped to stand on his back.  
  
"Hey, do you think this kid's dead?" The boy on his back asked.  
  
"He will be if you don't get off him." His friend replied.  
  
Gohan felt the weight on his back leave as the boy stepped out of the bus. Gohan stood up wearily, dusting himself off and grabbing his things.  
  
"Hey, are you ok?" Asked the obese year twelve boy. "I practically flattened you."  
  
"Wow, check out this kid's abs." His friend said, examining Gohan's elbows. "Do you work out."  
  
Gohan nodded sheepily and stepped quickly from the bus. If there was one thing he didn't want now, it was attention. He was under orders from Chi- Chi not to reveal his true power while at school.  
  
Gohan gasped as he got his first look at the new school. It was four stories tall (Not including the ground floor) and covered more land than Gohan could see. It was shaped like a grand castle and the gardens were so well kept, they could have come out of a painting.  
  
Gohan had never seen anything like this in Japan. The biggest land feature he had ever been to was Kami's lookout.  
  
The entrance hall was packed with people trying to get anywhere but where they were. Gohan stood in the middle of them, clutching two giant suitcases and wondering where to go.  
  
Desperately, he tapped an older girl on the head.  
  
"Hello." He said in his perfected English. "My name is Son Gohan...I mean...Gohan Son and I was wondering if you could tell me where the new year sevens go."  
  
She giggled girlishly, wrapping a strand of hair round her little finger. "Sure cutesy. Just go up two floors and you'll come to a set of double doors. Go through them and you'll find the year seven dorms."  
  
"Thank you." Gohan gave a slight bow automatically, before remembering that it wasn't the custom here and hurried to the second floor to meet his new classmates. 


	2. Gohan's first night

The year seven dorms were pretty cruddy. The walls were white and wearing away and the rooms were the size of a matchbox, with only a small bed and withered cupboard and rickety desk. The rooms were in two rows, against the walls and with nothing but a curtain to give them privacy. It didn't look like Gohan had hoped it would.  
  
"Hello there." Said the voice of a kindly woman showing around a group of giggling girls. "What's your name."  
  
"Gohan Son." He mumbled feebly.  
  
The woman smiled. "Nice to meet you. You'll be wanting to go to the boy's dorm across the hall. This is the girls dorm."  
  
The girls giggled and Gohan blushed. He nodded in thanks and collected his bags again, making his way across the hall to the boy's dorm.  
  
The boys dorm was just the same. But it was filled with boys! The male boarding master greeted him warmly and showed him to his dorm.  
  
"I'll leave you all to get settled in." He bellowed to the over excited boys. "Make sure your down in the dinning hall at six pm sharp or you won't get anything."  
  
Gohan nervously unpacking his things. As well as his awful gray school uniform, Chi-Chi had packed him several suits for the weekend, as well as one t-shirt and overalls; and to his delight, a single training costume. He also had his books and school things that needed sorting.  
  
A round, red faced boy poked his head behind Gohan's curtain.  
  
"Hey." He smiled. "Where you from?"  
  
"Japan." Gohan said shyly.  
  
"I'm from America. Most are from America. But you're original. What's your name?"  
  
"Gohan Son." Gohan said, hoping that his English could be understood.  
  
"Son Gohan." The boy corrected. "I met another Japanese boy and he said you have to say your name backwards in Japan. That would mean my name's Dawson Drew. Hi."  
  
Drew Dawson sat himself down on Gohan's bed. He stroked the duvet that had not been covered.  
  
"Did you bring a duvet cover and a pillowcase?"  
  
Gohan shook his head.  
  
"You can borrow one of mine. I have about ten. My mum over packs." Gohan laughed, gesturing to his now empty suitcases. He watched with amusement as Drew's eyes widened.  
  
The dinner bell rang and Gohan followed Drew downstairs and into the dining room. Happy at already making a friend.  
  
"I'll introduce you to Hun Hiro. He's from Japan too. And he only came this year. Most of us went to the junior school and boarded there too." Drew said as they sat down at a table.  
  
Hiro smiled warmly and greeted Gohan in Japanese. Gohan's head lightened when he heard the familiar words. He hoped he and Hiro would make instant friends.  
  
The three sat at a table with three other boys. Daniel, Greg and Mitchell, who Gohan discovered were all in his class. They seemed easy to get along with, but still Gohan remained silent all through his unhealthy looking dinner. A meal which he ate ten courses of.  
  
"My god, you eat a lot." Drew laughed as he watched Gohan finish the last plate. "And in a record time! You might even beat Fatty's all time eating record."  
  
He gestured to the obese boy that had trampled over Gohan in the bus. Gohan had a feeling he had already beaten Fatty's record by the way he was staring at him.  
  
*****  
  
"Hey Faye!" Vicky called as she lead her friend over to her table. "Check out that guy. The one who accidentally came into our dorm.  
  
"The one stuffing his face?" Faye said, raising her eyebrows to the strangely dressed boy.  
  
"He's cute." Vicky said dreamily. "Look at how his abs bulge out from underneath his suit. I bet he has a six pack."  
  
Faye sighed. Vicky, like most of the girls in this crazy school, only went for the guys with the biggest abs. From then on, she knew the poor thing would have lady trouble for the rest of the time he attended Ellawin high.  
  
*****  
  
That night, the boys dressed into their pyjamas and crammed into each others dorms. Gohan was worried the other boys would laughed at his powder blue, Japanese style pyjamas. Yet no one said a word as the six boys who had eaten together that day gathered in Drew's room.  
  
"What are we waiting for?" Hiro asked, also wearing Japanese styled pyjamas.  
  
"The year eight boys." Greg replied simply. "It's tradition in our school for the year six boys to come into the year five boys dorm and scare them with freaky ghost stories, as the year six girls did for the year five girls. It's the same thing here, only the year eights get to try and scare us."  
  
"Just remember they're only making it up." Drew said comfortingly.  
  
Sure enough, the dorm flooded with year eight boys who crammed into rooms to tell their ghost stories. They left the door wide open, to allow a draft to seep through. Gohan shuddered.  
  
"Alright." Said one year eight boy to them. "It's time you learnt of the girl named Lavender."  
  
The boys cheered as if excited about it. But Gohan would much rather be somewhere else.  
  
"About a hundred years ago, a girl called Lavender attended our school. She never spoke a word and no one knew her name, so they all called her Lavender because she wore a Lavender stone on a necklace round her neck. Anyway, one day, she was on the front terrace, on the highest floor of the school building, her locket fell from her neck and when she leaned over to get it, she fell to her death. The locket was never found again. Some say she still haunts these floors, searching for her missing locket. And if anyone gets in her way; she'll kill them."  
  
Drew yawned. "Boring. I heard that one in year five."  
  
After the year eight boys left, the year sevens began swapping stories. All in Drew's dorm agreed their story was hopeless. But Gohan was uneasy. His father had seen walking dead before and he knew that it was possible. Perhaps it was the truth.  
  
"Alright." The boarding master shouted to the many boys. "Lights out. You can swap stories tomorrow."  
  
But after everyone had fallen asleep, Gohan lay awake, thinking about Lavender and wondering if she really existed. He lay in fear for hour after hour, listening to the silence around him. He had brought a picture of his mother and father with him. And another of his mother and brother that sat beside his bed. But even with their faces smiling up at him, Gohan couldn't sleep.  
  
Eventually, he realized he was dying to use the toilet. Getting to his feet, Gohan felt his hands shake. His face dripped with sweat and he feared being out on his own. But he wasn't going to wet himself on his first night. Not for all the money in the world.  
  
Getting out of bed, Gohan crept across the carpeted floor. As he walked past Drew's room, Gohan though of waking him up. But what would Drew think if Gohan asked him to come with him to the bathroom.  
  
The closest bathroom was the boarder's bathroom just down the corridor. But there was also one just downstairs. Perhaps that would be easier to get to?  
  
Gohan choose to go downstairs. This bathroom was right across the hall from the music department and shouldn't be that hard to find. All the while, Gohan's mind filled with thoughts about what happened to Lavender and wondered if she still roamed the school.  
  
A noise could be heard from down the corridor. It was one of the school's many flutes. And someone was playing it.  
  
Soft tunes were wafting down the hallway. Sad, sorrowful tunes that talked of a long nearly forgotten memory.  
  
His curiosity getting the better of him, Gohan crept up to the door and slowly opened it...  
  
It was empty. Not a person in sight. But the window had been left open and the howling wind was making the flute instruments blow. Feeling relieved, Gohan sat down on a piano stool and rested his elbow on the piano.  
  
BANG!!!!!!  
  
Jumping to his, feet, Gohan screamed with shock. He could hear quick footsteps coming down the hall. It was the night watchman; and he didn't sound very happy.  
  
"Who's in there?" He yelled curtly.  
  
Gohan froze, not knowing where to go. Looking down, he saw he had broken the keys with his dynamic force. Uh oh. This wasn't looking good.  
  
The door suddenly flew open. Screaming with shear terror, Gohan pushed the piano right into the night watchman, causing the man to fall, unconsciously to the ground. Hoping that the nigh watchman hadn't seen his face, Gohan lifted the man and rested him the in the hall.  
  
Suddenly, Gohan froze. The piano! It was missing! Turning around, Gohan saw it heading for the stairs.  
  
He took a flying leap and landed on the thing, spreading his hands over it to hold it steady. It hurtled down the staircase at a lightning fast speed. Gohan knew what was coming next...  
  
CRASH!  
  
He flew into the wall waking people everywhere. Getting to his feet, Gohan used his lightning fast speed to dive into the bedroom and fall to sleep.  
  
But of course, that was impossible now, with everyone rushing about to see what had happened. Gohan lay awake; praying the night watchman hadn't seen his face! 


	3. The obese english teacher the paranoid m...

"Hey Gohan! Get up!"  
  
Gohan stirred from beneath his covers. Rolling over, he saw the pictures of his family resting on his bedside table and sighed.  
  
"Gohan!" Drew shouted again. "You'll never guess what happened. Someone rammed a piano into the wall!"  
  
Gohan sat upright, queasy with fright. It hadn't been a dream! And what if the night watchman had seen his face? Gohan would be out of this school faster than he could say 'Kami'...  
  
"Gohan, are you deaf or something? We have class in an hour! Get your books!"  
  
Gohan felt odd putting on his new uniform for the first time. His mother and gotten him an extra large size so that other kids couldn't see his muscles. It was gray and designed to look like a sailor suit with a matching bowler hat. All in all, it looked bizarre with Gohan's long black pony tail and rich dark eyes.  
  
"Where are we supposed to go?" Gohan asked Drew as they made their way up from the breakfast room.  
  
"We have to go and get our timetables from the year coordinator and then we have to put all our stuff in our lockers. Then we only have two periods; English and math to finish off the day. At least that's what my older brother says about year seven's first day."  
  
That doesn't sound too bad, Gohan thought to himself, it could be worse...  
  
"Hey, did you guys hear about that piano thing last night?" Hiro said as he snuck up behind them. "The night watchman was found unconscious in the hallway! How weird is that?"  
  
"Err...yeah." Gohan mumbled, his face flushing deep red. "We better hurry up and get to class."  
  
They made their way to the school hall, where all the year sevens were gathered to receive their new timetables.  
  
Gohan studied his with a blank look on his face.  
  
"You mean we have heaps of different teachers?" He whispered to Drew. "And we have to go to heaps of different classrooms?"  
  
"Duh! Where have you been learning for the past seven years of your life, Gohan?"  
  
"I learnt from home."  
  
"Oh...ok."  
  
They found out where their lockers were next. Gohan's was beneath a girl's with a slender face, long dark hair and deep green eyes who blushed every time he looked at her.  
  
"Hello." He said shyly, stuffing yet another heavy book into his locker.  
  
The girl giggled foolishly. "Hi; I'm Victoria. But everyone calls me Vicky."  
  
Gohan gave her an innocent smile and she giggled again, wrapping a strand of hair round her little finger.  
  
As they continued packing their books, the night watchman staggered past holding an ice bag to his head. Nervously, Gohan covered his face behind a huge geography book, praying that the night watchman would walk right past him.  
  
"Good morning children." He growled, his eyes ablaze. "Though I don't see what's so good about it. I just woke up from a serious mental disorder and with a concussion that is causing me to go INSANE!"  
  
The locker room filled with hysterical laughter. Gohan however, cringed from behind his book. Carefully, he lifted his head to sneak a look at the night watchman.  
  
The man was cold, with beady black eyes and no hair on the top of his head. He was distinctly taller than most adults and wore a too tight black suit as if he were mourning instead of assisting teachers on the first day of school.  
  
He turned to look them all squarely in the eye, pausing when he got to Gohan as if remembering something from a terrifying nightmare. Gohan tried to keep calm, though he knew this would probably be it.  
  
But all the night watchman said was. "And when I catch the culprit of this little 'piano' incident; I will personally ensure that they will be out of this school faster then they can say Ellawin."  
  
"Creepy guy huh?" Vicky said as he staggered away. "I feel sorry of the poor kid who actually did push that piano into him."  
  
"Err...yeah." Gohan said nervously, clumsily dropping a few books and causing Vicky to giggle and blush.  
  
"Hey Gohan, hurry up! We have to go to fifth and sixth period next." Drew called.  
  
Checking his timetable, Gohan saw it was English and math. Two of his most favorite subjects. Perfect. This wouldn't be so bad.  
  
"It says were supposed to be in room 111. That would be....this way?"  
  
Gohan shrugged.  
  
"It's this way guys." Said Daniel as he Greg, Mitchell and Hiro walked past. (In case you don't remember; Daniel Greg and Mitchell are Drew's friends.)  
  
They sat in twos in the classroom, which was small and covered with faded white paint. Gohan copied the other kids, taking out his pencil case and books.  
  
A plump lady came into the room, dressed in a floral white poncho. She had a red, fat face with her straw blonde hair up in rollers. She didn't bother to sit down upon the chair, but instead stood beside her desk with a large, stretchy smile across her face.  
  
"Good afternoon class, I am your English teacher, Mrs Rosenburry. Welcome to year seven English."  
  
Drew sniggered, whispering to Gohan from behind his hands. "I heard she never sits down in class because she's too fat and the chair will brake under her weight."  
  
But despite the unkind comments the rest of the class made, Gohan found his new English teacher to be polite and kind towards them. He liked her already and she liked him.  
  
"I want you all to write a page about yourself, so that I can get better acquainted with you all. You have to the end of this lesson so make it a good one."  
  
Gohan sat nervously in his seat, wondering what on earth to say. He couldn't say that his father, Goku, was an alien life form who had saved the earth from monsters like Cell; especially since everybody believed that it was Mr Satan who had really done it. What would he write?  
  
Mrs Rosenburry walked past his desk. Seeing that he hadn't written a single word, she leaned over him and smiled kindly.  
  
"Just write the truth about yourself dear. I promise I won't laugh at you."  
  
Gohan knew that she probably would, considering how bizarre his life was. But she told him to write the truth and that's what he was going to do....  
  
***** The bell rang and Faye set down her pencil and looked about the room. Gohan was the only one still writing. And he had written about ten pages so far. His hand moved quickly, gliding up and down the page and still faster than she had ever seen a human hand move.  
  
She leaned over to nudge Vicky.  
  
"Look how much Gohan wrote." She whispered.  
  
Mrs Rosenburry stood at Gohan's desk with a queer expression on her face.  
  
"Time to finish off dear, don't you have math next?"  
  
"Oh...sorry." Gohan mumbled passing her the paper.  
  
Vicky turned back to face her friend.  
  
"I heard he's real smart and got a scholarship into the school. That means he's a real brain. And look at all the work he's done." She swooned. "I'm in love."  
  
But Vicky knew that it was more unusual for a person to be able to write that much in such a short amount of time. Something was up with this kid and she wasn't going to rest until she found out what.  
  
***** "Gohan, hurry up already!" Drew shouted as he made his way across the playground.  
  
Just my luck, Gohan thought to himself, math just had to be on the other side of the school.  
  
Gohan struggled, trying to stop his books from falling. At home, Gohan's books sat neatly on his desk and he never had to lag them around everywhere...  
  
He dropped his books again just as the second bell rang. Sighing, he stooped to pick them up and when he stood up again, realized that Drew had left him behind in the rush to get to class on time. Now he had no idea where to go.  
  
Checking his diary, Gohan saw that he was in room 144. Now where was that? Perhaps he should ask and older student? Or perhaps he should just track down Drew's chi?  
  
"Um...ok...Drew is."  
  
Unconscious to the fact that people where starring at him, Gohan placed two fingers on his forehead to try and find Drew. It was harder in an area which was populated with many students but Gohan managed to find it and raced to the room he felt it coming from.  
  
"Sorry." He mumbled as he came in late to take a seat beside Drew.  
  
The young math teacher was elegant and pretty, with long brown hair and deep chocolate brown eyes. She wore the latest fashion, but with a frown on her face and worry lines on her forehead.  
  
"Why were you late? Were you trying to skip my class? Is it because you hate me? I know you hate me? WHY DO YOU HATE ME?"  
  
"Ignore her." Drew whispered. "My brother says she's paranoid and she thinks that everybody in the school hates her."  
  
Gohan could tell he wasn't going to like math as much as his other subjects. 


	4. Thank God it's Friday

Gohan could hardly manage to push his breakfast down his throat. It tasted awful, yet he still managed to eat a twelve course meal.  
  
"Hey Gohan, maybe you should take it easy on the food. You don't look so well." Hiro said in Japanese.  
  
"I'm ok." He said in reply. "The food here is terrible, that's all."  
  
"We have double RE today." Drew groaned. "First and second period."  
  
A lump of spaghetti and egg damper stuck to the back of Gohan's throat. RE, religious education, was the one thing Gohan knew he wouldn't be any good at. He wasn't catholic or even Christian and had no idea about anything to do with it. How would he manage in class?  
  
"Who's the RE teacher?" Gohan asked as they made their way through the crowd.  
  
"Brother Sydenham." Mitchell replied. "He used to come down to the junior school a lot last year. He's really strict so you better be careful of him."  
  
"Uh oh." Gohan muttered to himself. It just hadn't been his week. Thank god it was Friday and he had the whole weekend to relax.  
  
The class gathered in a small classroom to the edge of the main school building. Gohan sat beside Greg and leaned over to whisper into his ear.  
  
"So...um. Could you tell me about this catholic stuff?"  
  
Greg stared at him as if Gohan had just asked him to do the impossible. "You're kidding!"  
  
"No. Dead serious."  
  
But they had no more time to discuss as Brother Sydenham entered the room, dumping several heavy documents on the table.  
  
"Welcome to RE. The most important subject in Ellawin. Why do you ask? Because as we are at a catholic school, it is my duty as teacher to ensure that you get a proper understanding of Jesus our lord."  
  
Jesus? Gohan thought to himself, who is Jesus?  
  
"Now," Brother Sydenham said, reaching for a bible. "I will pick random people to answer these questions. You will stand up, tell me your name and answer me promptly, do you understand?"  
  
"Yes." The class answered like mindless drones.  
  
Brother Sydenham scanned the classroom with piecing blue eyes.  
  
"You girl." He said, pointing to Vicky. "How many disciples did Jesus have?"  
  
A sigh of relief echoed through the classroom.  
  
"This will be easy." Gohan heard someone whisper. Not likely! Gohan didn't have the slightest idea about any of this Christian stuff.  
  
"Victoria Henderson. Twelve." Vicky answered.  
  
"And you." He pointed to Daniel. "Where was Jesus born?"  
  
"Daniel Clay. Bethlehem." Daniel answered.  
  
Gohan was really worrying now.  
  
"What about you?" Brother Sydenham said, pointing to Gohan. "Does God have a name other than 'God'?"  
  
Thank goodness! Gohan could answer this one. "Gohan Son. God is kind of the head of the other world right? So that must mean the answer is...King Yama."  
  
The class laughed and Gohan flushed, realizing he had said the wrong thing. Brother Sydenham eyed him cruelly.  
  
"What religion are you Gohan Son?"  
  
"I don't really have a religion." Gohan replied. "To tell you the truth, I don't know anything about Christians."  
  
Brother Sydenham didn't look at all impressed. "You should have just said so, Gohan. You didn't have to make up things just to be creative. Creativity belongs in English class and not here."  
  
"But it is true." Gohan said, offended. "King Yama runs other world. That's where my dad is. And he's told me that when you get there, you either stay in other world or go to the HFIL depending on if you've been good or bad and..."  
  
Gohan trailed off, realizing what he had just said. Brother Sydenham looked utterly disgusted.  
  
"Gohan. This is a catholic school where we do not tolerate such absurd behavior. You obviously have quiet an imagination but you definitely need to learn proper respect for the catholic religion. I will let you off the hook this time but if you put a toe out of line again, you will serve the worst detention of your life. With me."  
  
Gohan felt so relived when the bell rang at lunch time. Though he felt a little uncomfortable when Drew bombarded him with questions.  
  
"Did you really mean all of that? About the other world and stuff?"  
  
Gohan didn't reply, but starred at his shoes, afraid to look his friend in the eye.  
  
"Gohan, is you're dad really dead?" Mitchell asked as he and the others hurried to catch up to them.  
  
That was something Gohan could answer. "He died a year ago, before my little brother was born."  
  
"Gosh. I'm sorry."  
  
That ended the conversation and the six boys made their way to the dining room in silence.  
  
*****  
  
"Poor Gohan." Vicky sighed as she and Faye came out of the RE classroom. "All he was trying to do is make RE a little more interesting for everybody. And then Brother Sydenham goes and crushes all of his creative energy. So tragic."  
  
"Whatever." Faye replied vaguely. It didn't really bother her if Brother Sydenham wanted to crush all of Gohan's creative energy. She was more concerned about what Gohan had said.  
  
*****  
  
The final lesson of the day arrived. PE, physical education. Gohan shook nervously as he bashfully got changed in the boys changing rooms, remembering what his mother had said about keeping his Sayian abilities hidden.  
  
"Hurry up Gohan, it's not like there's heaps of girls here. Just take your shirt off and put on your PE uniform." Drew called.  
  
Gohan nervously took off his shirt and hurried to pick up his gray tank top sports uniform. But not quickly enough.  
  
"Oh wow, look at Gohan!" Mitchell called as Gohan hurriedly reached for his PE shorts. "You must work out, huh?"  
  
Gohan blushed. "My family is into Martial arts. I was trained to be a good fighter when I was younger."  
  
The impatient PE teacher rapped on the door.  
  
"Hurry up boys or we'll start without you."  
  
They hurried out of the changing room to meet with the girls on the other side. Most of which, couldn't tear their eyes away from Gohan.  
  
"Today, we're going to play baseball. I want four even teams of both boys and girls. We'll have two matches going and the winning teams will verse each other, as will the losing teams. Everyone understand?"  
  
She didn't wait for a reply.  
  
"Good. Now hurry up and get into teams."  
  
Gohan and his five friends got into a team together. They were joined by Vicky, Faye and three other giggling blonde haired girls named Hannah, Kylie and Emily. Their team was put up against another and they set out to the field to play.  
  
"We're fielding first." Daniel said, taking leadership over his team as he usually did in sports. "So we need three people to go right back, four in front and the rest of you on the bases. Spread out people!"  
  
Gohan took to the back as he thought the ball wouldn't often come his way if he did. He stood with Hiro and Vicky, who came as close to him as she dared. In his PE uniform, Gohan saw that Hiro too, must have worked out a lot back in Japan.  
  
The first batter came up. Daniel pitched the ball and the batter hit it with tremendous force so it flew gracefully over the others heads; right into Gohan's outstretched arms.  
  
"That's out!" The PE teacher shouted. "Good work, Gohan."  
  
The next batter was caught out by Hiro, who charged in front of Gohan to grab it. Gohan didn't see what was so important about chasing a ball around a field, so he gratefully let Hiro step in.  
  
Hiro, thinking he had just achieved something great, smirked broadly at his Japanese friend and gave him a competitive shove. Accepting the challenge, Gohan dived for the ball and caught it.  
  
This rivalry between the two continued throughout the game. Gohan and Hiro lunged themselves at every ball and caught each one. Not one person on the other team managed to get it.  
  
Finally, it was changeover time. Drew, Daniel, Mitchell and Greg leapt about with joy.  
  
"They didn't get one run. Not one! We're going to win!"  
  
Hiro was up first to bat. He sent the ball sailing across the pitch and into the wire fence that enclosed the fields. Gohan, getting too rapped up in his completion with Hiro, forgot to keep his power concealed in an effort to beat Hiro.  
  
He hit the ball with a quarter of his force, sending it hurtling at a lighting fast speed. People dived to get it, but missed. Until the ball landed straight into a girl, who hadn't been paying attention. She flew back, crashing into the wall.  
  
Everyone gasped and the startled PE teacher rushed to help the girl to her feet. She was covered in blood and crying uncontrollably.  
  
Terrified, but relieved he hadn't killed her, Gohan hurried to help her, but the PE teacher pushed him away.  
  
"You're a danger to humanity, kid." She said in shock. "Promise me you won't join up for any sports. For the sake of the other children."  
  
The bell rang, signaling the end of the school week. Gohan trudged sadly back to the changing rooms with his friends desperately trying to comfort him.  
  
"I have to admit, that was cool." Drew said, trying to cheer him up. "You're really powerful, Gohan."  
  
"Perhaps too powerful." He sighed, wondering what he could do to help the girl he injured.  
  
"Thank God it's Friday." Drew said as they changed back into their uniforms.  
  
"Yeah." Gohan agreed. "Thank God it's Friday." 


	5. Cecilia

"Gohan Son?" The boarding master boomed as he stuck his head into the year seven boys dorm. "Is there a Gohan Son here?"  
  
"What do you want of me sir?" Gohan mumbled, feeling stupid.  
  
"Phone call." The purple faced bald man said.  
  
He led Gohan down a corridor, until they reached a tiny desk with a phone on it next to an armchair.  
  
"Um...Hello?" Gohan mumbled, holding the receiver to his ear.  
  
"Oh my goodness! My little boy is speaking English so well now!"  
  
Gohan sighed, happy to hear his mother's voice on the other end of the phone.  
  
"I didn't know how to tell the man I wanted to talk to you so I just said 'Son Gohan' when he picked up the phone and then I remembered you have to reverse the name so I..."  
  
Chi-Chi paused to catch her breath. Gohan smiled. "Hi Mum."  
  
"Hi darling. How's school?"  
  
Gohan explained the weird adventures he had had so far to his mother. Though of course it all seemed pretty natural to Chi-Chi.  
  
"I wouldn't have expected better from you son. Just make sure you don't get too competitive and try to hide your strength a lot better, ok? And perhaps you should get a senzu bean for that poor girl you hit with a ball?"  
  
A senzu bean, of course! The best way to apologize for hitting her.  
  
"Yes Mum."  
  
"That's my boy. Keep up the good work and do us proud. We all miss you here. Well, I have to go. This phone call is costing me a fortune. See you later kid."  
  
She hung up and a feeling of loneliness swept across Gohan. He came back to the dorm, thinking about home and his family.  
  
*****  
  
"Well it's finally Saturday." Drew informed them the following day at breakfast, though they didn't need to be told. "What are we going to do?"  
  
"Let's take a bus into town and go to see a movie." Mitchell suggested.  
  
"We're allowed to?" Hiro asked.  
  
"Of course." Drew laughed. "We used to do it all the time in the junior school."  
  
"I can't guys." Gohan managed to say through a mouthful of egg on toast. "I have something I need to do."  
  
"What could be more important then hanging out with us?" Greg joked.  
  
"Yeah, Gohan. What do you have to do?"  
  
Gohan kept quiet as they pestered him, a sly smile spread across his face.  
  
*****  
  
Faye swiveled around in her chair upon hearing Gohan at the next table. Where did Gohan have to go on a Saturday?  
  
"Hey Faye, what are you looking at?" Vicky asked, elegantly sipping her orange juice with her little finger sticking out.  
  
"Nothing. But I can't play tennis with you today. I have stuff to do."  
  
Faye smirked as she watched Gohan get up from the table. Now she would know more about this mysterious new boy....  
  
*****  
  
Gohan left the school, dressed in his training outfit. Kami's lookout couldn't be too far away. And if he went super Sayian no one would recognize him if he flew there. But where could he find a place where no one would see him transform?  
  
Seeing that Faye was not far behind him, Gohan ran behind the gymnasium, hoping she hadn't seen him. But he wasn't alone.  
  
Gohan blushed as two tenth grades broke away from each other in shock. The girl giggled foolishly. But the boy (whose neck was covered in love bites) looked enraged.  
  
"Who are you, you little punk?" He scowled, approaching Gohan and trying to look menacing.  
  
"I'm Gohan." He replied ignorantly. The girl began to laugh uncontrollably.  
  
The boy whisked her away. "You just made yourself a powerful enemy, kid."  
  
Gohan breathed a sigh of relief. Finally alone. He powered up to super Sayian and leapt off the ground, soaring through the sky for the first time in what felt like forever.  
  
Looking down, Gohan saw someone starring at him. Faye! She probably recognized the clothes he had on. As quickly as he could, Gohan took off, heading towards Kami's lookout.  
  
*****  
  
"VICKY!" Faye screamed as she rushed to the tennis court.  
  
"What is it?" Vicky said, wiping sweat from her forehead under her sun visor and dusting her white tennis skirt and polo shirt. "Hannah and I are trying to play tennis."  
  
"You'll never guess what I just saw." Faye panted, collapsing onto the tennis court as Hannah and Vicky gathered round her.  
  
"What?" Vicky and Hannah said in union.  
  
"A kid with blonde hair and bright teal eyes just flew into the sky from behind the gymnasium. He was wearing the same clothes as Gohan."  
  
"No way!" Vicky gasped. "Gohan has black hair and dark eyes. That's impossible."  
  
"I could just be a coincidence." Hannah suggested. "Perhaps Gohan and this mystery kid just happened to be wearing the same outfit today?"  
  
"If so then how come I've never seen this mystery kid before at school? And the outfit he was wearing isn't a very common one anyway. It was some Japanese thing." Faye argued.  
  
"I don't care what you say, Faye. It's impossible for Gohan to be wondering around with a different eye and hair colour on the weekends." Vicky huffed.  
  
Faye sighed. Vicky had too big a crush on Gohan to realize that something weird was definitely going on.  
  
*****  
  
It was late morning when Gohan returned with a bag of senzu beans in his hand. He landed behind the gym and transformed back into his normal self. Then rushed up to his dorm to change into his shorts and t-shirt.  
  
Once changed, he made his way to the infirmary, where the school nurse was treating the poor girl who had been pelted with a baseball and driven into a wire fence.  
  
"What's the matter dear?" The nurse asked standing up to smile at Gohan.  
  
"Nothing. I just wanted to see her." He nodded to the girl on the bed.  
  
The woman smiled kindly. "Normally we don't allow visitors. But just this once."  
  
The nurse left and Gohan sat on the bed beside her. Her head was wrapped in bandages and her right arm rested in a sling. Gohan saw now she was pretty, with curly orange, red hair pulled into pigtails. Her face was pasty white and she lay, sleeping with a quiet smile on her face.  
  
Becoming aware that someone was watching her, she slowly opened her large green eyes and smiled when she saw the kind faced boy looking down on her. For some reason; she trusted him.  
  
"My name's Gohan." Gohan told her. "I'm the one who hit you with the ball. I'm sorry."  
  
"It's ok." She said weakly.  
  
"Here," He said, offering her a senzu bean. "Take it. You'll feel better."  
  
"You're not allowed to give her that." The nurse said sternly, but the girl was already swallowing it.  
  
"There, see?" Gohan smiled as he watched her sit up in surprise, removing the bandages around her head.  
  
"G-Gohan?"  
  
Whirling around, Gohan saw Vicky in the doorway, smiling.  
  
"Hi Vicky." He said. "I just gave her some...err...medicine to help her feel better."  
  
Vicky's eyes softened. "You were getting her medicine? From the chemist?"  
  
"Err...yeah."  
  
"Oh." Vicky froze. "Oh that's so sweat of you. I have to go and get Faye. See you around, Gohan."  
  
Turning back to the girl on the bed, Gohan smiled kindly. "What's your name?"  
  
"Cecilia." She said. "I don't think I'm in your class."  
  
Gohan smiled. "Well, I have to go, Cecilia. See you later. Oh, and sorry again."  
  
Gohan left her sitting up in bed and blushing.  
  
"What a sweat guy." She giggled girlishly. "If anyone had to pelt me with a ball, I'm glad it was him." 


	6. Church, detention and Lavender

"Get up, Gohan!" Drew shouted, throwing a pillow at his friend's head. "Church!"  
  
"Church?" Gohan mumbled, rubbing his bleary eyes.  
  
"Yeah, it's Sunday. We have Church on Sunday cause it's a Christian school. So get up and get dressed in something formal."  
  
Gohan climbed out of bed, still half asleep, and dressed in one of his many suits.  
  
Church? He had never been to Church before. What was it like?  
  
The entire school gathered in the chapel. The grade sevens sat at the front and grade twelves at the back. Everyone else squished in between.  
  
"So what is Church?" Gohan asked Drew. "I've never been before."  
  
"Only the most boring thing on earth." Drew sighed. "You're lucky you didn't go to the junior school, Gohan. It was the same thing there."  
  
They made their way to their seats, walking down the red carpeted aisle that led to the altar. Stupidly, Gohan began to pretend he was a prince, approaching a throne to be crowned king.  
  
He walked solemnly towards the altar, lost his balance and tripped over, landing head first on the ground. The chapel rang with laughter.  
  
Gohan stood up, filled with embarrassment and came face to face with brother Sydenham.  
  
"I'm watching you, boy." He warned. "Anymore outbursts like in RE, and you'll be put on permanent detention."  
  
Gohan shuddered as Drew pulled him into a seat.  
  
"Evil looking guy, huh? Not someone you want as an enemy. Take my advice and try to get back on his good side."  
  
"I never was on his good side." Gohan said as he watched brother Sydenham march away to shout at some other unfortunate teenagers.  
  
The mass begun and everyone stood up to welcome the priest. They sung some weird Latin hymn that Gohan had never heard before. He stood silently beside his friends and watched with a fake interested look on his face.  
  
Cecilia came into the chapel with the priest wearing a white robe and holding a candle aloft. After Gohan's senzu bean, she had made a quick and unexpected recovery. She winked at him as she came by.  
  
"What's Cecilia doing?" Gohan whispered to Drew.  
  
"Altar server. It means she helps the priest and stuff. Apparently, her family is really religious and she isn't allowed to go out on Sundays."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because Sunday is a day of rest for some reason. All she's allowed to do is pray."  
  
Gohan watched her as she solemnly set the candle down and stood behind the priest like a slave. As he watched her, he failed to realize there were two others watching Gohan. Vicky and Faye.  
  
*****  
  
"That brat." Vicky sobbed, trying to keep her tears under control while in the presence of God. "He has a crush on Cecilia! And there I was defending him when you said he was a flying freak. I just thought that when I walked in on him, he was just being nice and seeing if Cecilia was ok. But he was trying to get with her!"  
  
Faye wasn't listening, continuing to watch Gohan.  
  
"He won't take his eyes away from her." Vicky continued. "And did you see her wink at him? It's so obvious their dating. I can't believe I was such a fool!"  
  
She paused, noticed that Faye hadn't been paying attention and burst with rage.  
  
"FAYE, ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME???"  
  
All eyes swiveled to the red faced, grade seven girl who was obviously going through some sort of emotional growth disorder. All was quiet as Vicky shrunk into silence.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?" brother Sydenham spat, breaking the silence with his enraged tone.  
  
"I-I." Vicky stuttered.  
  
Brother Sydenham was too angry to speak. His face turned murky green and his eyes boiled over with fury.  
  
"Sorry brother Sydenham. It was my fault." Gohan said, getting to his feet.  
  
All eyes turned to the young boy with a long black pony tail and sharp dark eyes.  
  
"What ever do you mean?" Brother Sydenham asked.  
  
"I was the one who dared Vicky to scream out in mass like that. It wasn't her fault."  
  
"Oh my goodness. My sweat Gohan is trying to save me!" Vicky simpered to Faye under her breath. "Oh, I should never have doubted him for a second."  
  
"Even so, if Victoria was stupid enough to play along with your silly prank, Mr Son, then it is her fault as much as yours. Both of you will come with me."  
  
He turned to face the priest. "Terribly sorry, reverent. Carry on."  
  
Gohan and Vicky stood up and followed brother Sydenham out of the chapel. The mass behind them continued as usual and everyone sank back into their usual Sunday gloom, but Vicky knew she was stepping into something much worse than Sunday mass.  
  
Detention with brother Sydenham.  
  
*****  
  
Gohan avoided Vicky's eyes. He knew she probably thought he was stupid for trying to save her. And he had more to worry about now. Like what brother Sydenham was planning to do to them.  
  
"Gohan?" Vicky whispered softly so that Sydenham couldn't hear.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
He blushed stupidly, putting his hand behind his head. "It was nothing."  
  
Sydenham paused outside his office. "Wait here." He instructed coldly and left them in the hall.  
  
"What do you suppose he'll make us do?" Gohan asked in a desperate attempt to make conversation.  
  
Vicky shrugged. "No idea. But everyone says that detention with brother Sydenham is worse than getting expelled."  
  
"Can't be that bad." Gohan said positively. But he feared the worst.  
  
Finally the mass ended and children hurried to get changed and go out to enjoy the rest of the weekend. Everyone gave them a sympathetic stare.  
  
Finally, Sydenham returned holding two sheets of bright pink paper. "I have decided that for detention you will both join me in the graveyard at six tonight to clean the tombstones."  
  
"There's a graveyard?" Gohan interrupted with surprise.  
  
"Yes, and you will clean it. Now go and enjoy your weekend. While you can.  
  
*****  
  
At six pm, Gohan and Vicky skipped dinner and took their pink slips to the graveyard.  
  
"Back when this school was a nun convent, the nuns wanted to be buried on their own land." Vicky told her companion. "So they made a graveyard. That's were all the ghost stories come from."  
  
"You mean Lavender is buried here?" Gohan quivered.  
  
"Probably not. She wasn't a nun. But it is possible they buried her hear out of sympathy."  
  
Gohan shuddered to think of what awaited them.  
  
Brother Sydenham met them at the graveyard gate. "You're late." He said. "But let's begin."  
  
They crouched beside tombstones and scrubbed while Sydenham rested against the fence and napped.  
  
"This is the worst detention ever!" Vicky complained.  
  
"Yeah." Gohan lied. Because he was stronger than Vicky, this work seemed like nothing to him.  
  
Already reaching his fifth tombstone, Gohan began to scrub away the mould that covered it.  
  
"Ok, this is just wrong!" Vicky shouted again. "I just found my great, great aunt."  
  
Gohan laughed feebly as he continued to brush away the filth, wondering who this grave belonged to.  
  
Scrubbing until the engravings could be seen, Gohan squinted to read the name and stood back, screaming when he saw it.  
  
Lavender.  
  
"What is it?" Vicky cried, rushing to his side.  
  
Gohan pointed weakly to the gravestone. Vicky let out a shrill squeak.  
  
Suddenly, a beam of light shot out from behind him and Gohan saw the figure of a beautiful young girl, with straw blonde hair and no pupils in her dead eyes.  
  
Screaming with terror, Vicky clung to Gohan's shoulder.  
  
"What do you want?" Gohan called to the ghostly shape. Remembering that the dead was nothing to fear.  
  
"My necklace!" Lavender called. "We don't have it." Gohan answered.  
  
"Then I will kill you!"  
  
It seemed Gohan had no choice. He powered up to super Sayian form to try and scare it.  
  
It worked. Lavender backed away, shrieking with terror.  
  
"You haven't seen the last of me, Gohan Son. I shall find you and kill you!"  
  
With that, she vanished into light and Gohan returned to his normal state.  
  
"Listen; Vicky I-" Gohan begun to explain. But then stopped when he saw she had passed out.  
  
Brother Sydenham, somehow, still managed to sleep. Gohan grabbed the signed pink slips from his grasp and carried Vicky back to the school. 


	7. Ellawin's newest celebrity

Gohan decided it would be wise to keep what happened in the graveyard with Lavender a secret for fear of gaining too much attention. Vicky, however, told every girl in grade seven, who told the boys, who told the year eights, nines and tens and eventually the year elevens twelves.  
  
Soon Gohan had become the school's newest celebrity and everyone seemed to know his name. Luckily, Vicky had passed out before she saw Gohan transform into a super Sayian so it wouldn't be braking his promise to Chi-Chi about keeping his identity a secret. He decided to enjoy the attention while it lasted, even if it meant people were giving him odd looks.  
  
During Monday dinner, Cecilia came and sat beside him, a smile on her face.  
  
"I just want to let you know that even though most of the school thinks you're crazy, I believe you saw the ghost."  
  
Gohan froze. The school thought he was crazy? Well, he supposed that it really didn't seem possible that a twelve year old could fend off a ghost. And most people didn't even believe in ghosts. All this time, he had been getting the wrong sort of attention.  
  
Eventually, the spotlight began to shift when rumors spread throughout the school that Mr Satan's daughter, Videl Satan, would be coming to Ellawin.  
  
"That would be cool." Drew admitted. "A real famous person attending our school!"  
  
"Yeah," Daniel agreed. "Reckon I'd have a chance with her, Gohan?"  
  
Gohan shrugged. "I suppose."  
  
Frankly, he didn't really care if Videl came to Ellawin or not. Or if Daniel would have a chance with her. He was just glad that the rumors were turning people's attention away from him.  
  
*****  
  
"I have finally finished marking the letters you wrote for me on your first day of school." The English teacher, Mrs Rosenburry, told the class on Wednesday morning English. "They were some very....err.....interesting papers you wrote for me."  
  
She shuffled through them and removed two from the pile. Hiro's and Gohan's.  
  
"Hiro, I didn't understand yours because it's in Japanese. Would you mind rewriting it in English?"  
  
Hiro shook his head, smiling. "You told me to write the truth about myself so I did. It is true that I am Japanese, so I wrote in Japanese."  
  
Gohan began to wish he had thought of that.  
  
"I see." She turned to face Gohan, a queer look on her face. "Gohan, I found your paper to be particularly interesting. You wouldn't mind if I shared with the class now, would you?"  
  
He didn't really have a choice. Gohan nodded gingerly and Mrs Rosenburry walked amongst the desks, holding the paper aloft and reading it in a clear voice.  
  
"My name is Son Gohan. I am twelve years old. Six years ago my father, Goku, took me to visit his childhood friends on a far off island...."  
  
She continued through all ten pages of Gohan's life, all the while, Gohan cowered in his seat and the class stuck their gaze to him like glue to paper.  
  
".....So after Cell had finally been killed, I returned home to my mother and grandfather later to learn my mother was pregnant with my brother. A year later, my mother insisted I go to Ellawin. Which is where I am today."  
  
She put the paper down on Gohan's desk and gave him a sticky smile. "You have a big imagination Gohan. You should consider becoming a writer. But I want you to write me a whole new paper about yourself and not what you wish you were."  
  
The class laughed and Gohan blushed with embarrassment. Why didn't he just make something up?  
  
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and all eyes fixed on a pale faced girl with large lilac eyes and long black hair. She wore the Ellawin school uniform and a cruel look upon her face.  
  
"Hello? Can I help you?" Mrs Rosenburry asked kindly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm Videl Satan. I'm just starting at the school today. Is this year seven English?"  
  
"Oh yes Videl!" Mrs Rosenburry exclaimed. "Won't you take a seat and you can write me a paper all about yourself."  
  
"Over here, Videl!" Vicky called, waving franticly. "Come and sit behind us!"  
  
Videl sat on the empty table behind Vicky and Faye and glanced around the classroom, pausing when she saw Gohan. He tried to smile, but she turned away and begun writing.  
  
*****  
  
At lunchtime, Videl followed Vicky and Faye into the dining room and sat with them at a table.  
  
"I'm Vicky and this is Faye." Vicky said with a false smile. "Nice to meet you, Videl. You're famous at Ellawin. Everyone is talking about you."  
  
"I'm famous everywhere." Videl replied kindly. She turned and watched as a group of boys past them, one with a long, black pony tail and piercing black eyes.  
  
"Who's that?" She asked, pointing to him.  
  
"Gohan Son." Vicky giggled. "Isn't he gorgeous?"  
  
"He looks familiar...have I seen him before?"  
  
"He's from Japan, like you." Faye said, watching him closely. "But there's something weird about him."  
  
"What do you mean?" Vicky asked shrilly. "Gohan is just a sweat guy. That's all."  
  
"I'm with you, Faye." Videl agreed. "While I was waiting outside the English room to introduce myself to Mrs Rosenburry, I heard her talking about Gohan's paper."  
  
"I'm willing to bet that everything he wrote in the paper about being and alien and stuff is true. We just have to prove it." Faye leaned in and whispered to her friends. "Meet me outside the boy's dorm after school. I have a plan."  
  
*****  
  
School ended and Gohan trooped up to his dorm and sat on his bed, his curtains drawn. Another day of torture was over and now he had a ton of homework to get through! Including the fresh letter for English which he had no idea how to do.  
  
The boy's dorm was empty except for him and the only noises that could be heard were the sounds of the bird cooing to each other outside the window.  
  
From his bed, Gohan heard the door slowly creek open and footsteps echoed down the corridor. The newcomers were incredibly quiet compared to the way most boys came into the dorm after playing outside. Gohan sat silently, listening for hints of conversation.  
  
Suddenly, his curtain flew open and Gohan yelped with surprise. Vicky, Faye and Videl came into his room, also with a shocked expression on their faces.  
  
"We didn't think you would be in here." Faye mumbled coming into the tiny matchbox room.  
  
"I thought girls weren't aloud in the boys dorm." Gohan said, putting down his books to greet his surprise guests.  
  
"It wasn't my idea to come." Vicky said, sitting on the bed beside him. "But Faye and Videl were going and I didn't want to play tennis with Hannah, Kylie and Emily so I had too."  
  
Faye and Videl ignored Gohan altogether as they shuffled about his tiny room. Videl paused when she saw the photos Gohan had brought from home, neatly arranged on his desk that was just wide enough to push a rickety wooden chair under.  
  
"Is this your family?" Videl asked, picking up the framed pictures to study. "Is this your mum and dad?"  
  
"Yeah." Gohan said, getting to his feet and leaning over Videl's shoulder.  
  
She was holding the family photo of his mother, father and three-year-old self. There was only one other photo of baby Goten, his mother and grandfather, sitting together on the couch. That photo had been taken especially for Gohan to keep in his room.  
  
"Is that you in that picture?" Vicky asked, pointing to the picture in Videl's hands. "Aren't you cute! How old were you, Gohan? Four?"  
  
"Three." Gohan smiled.  
  
"Is that your dad?" Faye asked sternly, "How come he isn't in the other photo?"  
  
"He was dead by the time that photo was taken." Gohan said. "He never got to see my little brother Goten."  
  
Videl was hardly listening. She had spotted something else hanging from Gohan's behind and dangling over his father's arm. Something long and brown.  
  
"Is....is that a...a...tail?" She asked, holding the picture closely to his face. Vicky and Faye pushed Gohan back and peered over her shoulders to see.  
  
Gohan didn't know what to say. "Well....err..."  
  
The curtains flew open again and the purple faced, bald headed boarding master stuck his head in with rage in his beady black eyes.  
  
"Sorry ladies but girls aren't allowed in the boys dorm. If you want to talk to Gohan then you can speak with him outside."  
  
"Sorry." Vicky mumbled and she followed Videl and Faye out of the dorm.  
  
Gohan relaxed, sitting back in his bed. That had been a close call. But now Vicky, Faye and Videl had seen his tail for themselves and heard Mrs Rosenburry read about it in his report. They had two sources of evidence now to who he was.  
  
Gohan knew he would have to be a lot more careful from now on. 


	8. Truth or Dare

With two weeks to his birthday, having a party was all Drew seemed to talk about now.  
  
"What we normally do for someone's birthday is go out for pizza and then come back to the school to play truth or dare and spin the bottle." Drew said. "Since we can't have a proper birthday at home and all."  
  
Drew announced to the whole class that his birthday party was scheduled for the upcoming Friday night at the pizza place in town and everyone in year seven could come. Even people that Drew didn't really know.  
  
Everyone was making a big deal about it. It wasn't often that someone had a birthday and everyone was willing to get out. The girls spent the afternoon trying on dresses and makeup just because they didn't often get to dress up for things.  
  
At five pm, all the year sevens took the bus into town and got a table together at the pizza place. Gohan sat nervously next to Cecilia and Drew, wearing one of his mother's suits.  
  
Overall, the pizza place ordeal didn't really seem that bad. Everyone was too excited to notice that Gohan had devoured seven large pizzas and drained heaps of glasses of coke, causing his whole body to overload with caffeine.  
  
After pizza, they took the bus home and gathered in the common room. Drew took charge, ordering everyone to sit in boy girl order and placed an empty bottle in the middle.  
  
"Alright, let's play truth or dare first!" Drew shouted to the hyperactive pre-teens. "I'm going first."  
  
"How do you play?" Gohan asked Cecilia, who was sitting on his right hand side.  
  
"Drew is going to ask someone in the circle the question 'truth or dare?' then they have to pick if they either want truth, which means Drew gets to ask them any question he wants and they have to answer truthfully. Or dare, which means Drew gets to dare that person to do something. Then the person who Drew picked gets to ask someone else the same question."  
  
Gohan froze. What if Vicky, Faye or Videl ask him to tell them about his tail or something? Perhaps if he gets asked, he should just pick dare every time?  
  
Drew picked Daniel, who picked Emily, who picked Vicky, who picked Videl. When it was Videl's turn to ask, she turned straight to Gohan.  
  
"Truth or dare?" She asked him, her eyes cold and menacing.  
  
"Err...dare." Gohan replied.  
  
Videl and Faye exchanged disappointed glances.  
  
"If you pick dare, I'll make you go into the year twelve girl's dorm naked. But if you pick truth, I'll just ask you a simple question about that paper you wrote in English."  
  
Everyone starred at Gohan, who was running things through his head. He definitely didn't want to run through the year twelve girl's dorm naked and he couldn't answer Videl's question. Unless....he lied.  
  
Videl seemed to be reading his thoughts. "And you can't lie in truth, or you'll be condemned to hell."  
  
The HFIL. Gohan didn't want to go there. He would just have to go through with the dare then.  
  
"I still pick dare." Gohan said firmly.  
  
An 'Oooh' ran throughout the group of kids. Gohan shuddered, wishing he had never agreed to play this game. But he couldn't back out now. Slowly, he began to undo his tie.  
  
"Hey, this isn't fare!" Cecilia suddenly burst out. "We can't make poor Gohan do this because it could get him in serious trouble. You're not allowed to get anyone in trouble with dares."  
  
Gohan gave her a thankful smile, but the rest of the grade sevens where egger to see someone actually do this.  
  
"He won't get in trouble." Hiro laughed. "We can just say that it was a dare and that Gohan was forced to do it. Then Videl will get in trouble too."  
  
By this time, Gohan had stripped down to his boxers and the girls blushed at the sight of his bare chest.  
  
"Just go in your boxers, Gohan!" Someone shouted and everyone else agreed.  
  
Gohan left the common room and crept down the hall, up the stairs and stood in front of the door to the year twelve girl's dorm. He shuddered in the cold, night air. From behind the door, he could hear them all laughing and having pillow fights. Gohan had hoped they would all be fast asleep.  
  
He pushed the door open and stepped into the dorm....  
  
*****  
  
"I can't believe that he actually did it." Videl whispered to Faye. "He must really want to keep his past a secret."  
  
"If he did then why did he write that paper in English?" Faye argued.  
  
"Because he just wanted to express himself. For the last time, Gohan is not an alien life form, nor has he traveled to far away planets or anything he wrote about. He's just an ordinary kid who's creative."  
  
"There's only one way to find out." Videl said. "Since he won't talk, we'll just have to do some background research."  
  
"What do you mean?" Asked Vicky.  
  
"I mean we should check his school file." Videl replied. "They keep a record of stuff like this. From there, we can find out more about his parents and stuff."  
  
"Great idea!" Faye said with delight. "We should get it tomorrow."  
  
"No!" Cried Vicky. "We'll get into serious trouble!"  
  
"Fine then Vicky." Faye said aggressively. "Just Videl and I will go. No one is making you."  
  
Vicky was taken aback. Faye never said things like that to her! They had always been a team ever since they started at Ellawin way back in kindergarten. They had always done everything together. Why had Videl suddenly changed Faye into a whole different person?  
  
*****  
  
Gohan ducked as another pillow was lunched at his face.  
  
When he had come into the room, the year twelve girls had started to pelt him with pillows, screaming at the top of their lungs. The boarding mistress had come in once or twice, but thinking nothing was wrong and they were just being idiots as usual, she left again.  
  
Gohan felt behind him, desperately trying to open the door. But every time he got near the latch, another pillow came smacking down on his back. He finally found the door latch, leapt out of the room and ran back down the stairs.  
  
"Hey stop!"  
  
Gohan turned around to see the night watchman charging after him. Gohan screamed and pelted down the stairs and into the common room.  
  
"Night....watchman.....coming...after....me." He panted, collapsing onto the floor.  
  
The door pushed open and Gohan came face to face with the night watchman, who fixed his horrified little beady eyes on him.  
  
"What on earth is going on here?" He gasped.  
  
"We were playing truth or dare." Drew began to explain. "And Videl-" "I don't care who did what." The night watchman interrupted. "You'll all have an after school detention on Monday for being out of bed at night."  
  
He turned to Gohan who was trying to gather his clothes. "And you. You will have to come with me to see the principal first thing tomorrow to decide what to do with you. Now I want everyone back in bed RIGHT NOW!"  
  
He stormed out of the room and Gohan held back tears as the gathered his things. What if he got expelled? He wouldn't really mind. He never even wanted to come to Ellawin. But what would his mother say?  
  
"Sorry Gohan." Drew said. "We shouldn't have encouraged you."  
  
Everyone followed his league, apologizing as they left the common room to go back to bed. All except Videl and Faye, who glanced at him briefly as they left, their faces bright red with embarrassment. 


	9. Gohan's school file

The following Monday morning, the night watchman came into the breakfast room in search of Gohan.  
  
"Principal Redson wants to see you straight away, kid. No time for breakfast." He growled.  
  
"No time for breakfast?" To a male Son family member, that is the worst sentence in the history of mankind.  
  
"That's right. Now come on, we don't have all day."  
  
"Good luck man." Drew whispered as the night watchman led him off.  
  
"Normally," The night watchman said as they made their way to the principal's office. "Principal Redson would expel trouble makers like you on the night they did it and send them packing for home straight away. Count yourself lucky he was out last night."  
  
Gohan gulped. This Principal Redson fellow didn't like the forgiving type. Chi-Chi would kill him if he was expelled. And he hadn't even completed one term yet!  
  
They arrived outside the principal's office. The night watchman grunted to the receptionist and ordered Gohan to sit in the waiting room before going in to see the principal.  
  
"What are you in for kid?" The twenty year old receptionist asked him.  
  
"I was playing truth or dare." Gohan stuttered.  
  
"Oh I see." She giggled. "Don't worry about it. You're not the first. What grade are you in?"  
  
"Seven."  
  
"I have a baby sister in year seven too! Her name is Cecilia. Know her?"  
  
Gohan beamed, killing this lady already. "Cecilia is the nicest person I have ever met. She stood up for me in truth or dare."  
  
The girl laughed at his innocence. "My name's Lucinda but you can call me Lucy. Everyone else does."  
  
"Ok Lucy."  
  
"Don't worry about Principal Redson. He's as harmless as a fly. Trust me; I work for him."  
  
The night watchman burst through the door, an evil grin on his face. "You can go in now."  
  
Gohan got to his feet shakily and nervously stepped into the principal's office.  
  
The slightly overweight and jolly looking man greeted him with a kind smile. "Gohan Son?"  
  
"Yeah? Err...I mean yes.....sir?"  
  
Principal Redson chuckled. "No need to be so formal with me, boy. Now, tell me in your own words exactly what happened last night."  
  
Gohan began to explain and Principal Redson listened intensively.  
  
"I see." He said when Gohan had finished. "Well, you're not the first to be in here for some ridiculous dare. A pointless game if I may say so, Gohan. I don't see why the children just don't pick truth all the time to save embarrassment."  
  
"Oh, but I couldn't." Gohan burst out before he could stop himself.  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
Gohan couldn't bring himself to lie to Principal Redson. Yet, he didn't mind only telling the half truth.  
  
"Some girls have been trying to find out about my personal life using truth and I didn't want them to know so I had to pick dare."  
  
Principal Redson burst out laughing. "Alright then, Gohan. I suppose since it was to do with personal matters, I can let you off the hook. However, a lunch time detention never really hurt anyone now did it?"  
  
"I'm not getting expelled?" Gohan could hardly believe it!  
  
"Expelled? I would never expel a student for such a harmless thing. It must be the night watchman talking again. Remember to join him at the beginning of tomorrow's lunch hour for detention ok?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Principal Redson leaned in and whispered to Gohan. "And if those girls hassle you again, feel free to bring it up with me."  
  
*****  
  
Vicky stumbled into math class late and scanned the classroom for Faye. She was shocked to see her friend sitting with Videl. Faye and Vicky always sat together in every lesson. Well....they always used to.  
  
"Why are you late? Do you hate me?" The math teacher, Miss Daniels asked in her usual paranoid way.  
  
"Sorry." Vicky mumbled, taking her seat next to Kylie, behind Faye and Videl.  
  
Miss Daniels turned back to her class. "Stop talking about me! Why are you all taking about me! Leave me alone! LEAVE ME ALONE!"  
  
"Maybe you should take your medication, Miss Daniels?" Greg sniggered and the class laughed.  
  
"I don't take medication. I'm a normal teacher. A normal math teacher. Yes, normal. Now lets learn something. Yes, fractions. Let's learn fractions."  
  
They got their books and Vicky leaned over to tap Faye on the back.  
  
"You didn't save me a seat." She whispered.  
  
"So?" Faye said curtly. "We don't have to sit next to each other in every class do we? Anyway, Videl and I are making plans for lunchtime."  
  
"You're still going through with that plan you made up on Drew's birthday?" Vicky sighed. "I'll tell Gohan if I have to. Or one of the teachers."  
  
"If you do, then I'll officially break my friendship with you."  
  
Vicky was silent and sat back in her chair. Faye couldn't be serious, could she? Did she really think that just because some new girl comes to the school, she can neglect her best friend of nearly eight years?  
  
The lunch bell rang and everyone filed into the dining room. All except Videl, Vicky and Faye, who took extra long at the lockers.  
  
"Please don't do this you guys." Vicky begged. "You could get in serious trouble. You might even be thrown out of the school."  
  
"That's a risk I am willing to take." Videl said. "As long as we get Gohan's school file, I don't care if we get expelled. Are you with me, Faye?"  
  
"All the way." Faye grinned, then turned to scowl at Vicky. "You better not tell, Vicky. Or else."  
  
*****  
  
Gohan, Drew, Daniel, Greg, Mitchell and Hiro sat together at their usual table. Mitchell was doing a fantastic impression of Miss Daniel's when Vicky walked in crying.  
  
"What up with her?" Gohan asked, watching her sit at a table alone. "Where are her friends?"  
  
"Vicky?" Drew scoffed. "Ignore her. She's the most irritating person I have ever met. She had a crush on me all last year just because I picked up her pencil. Don't go over there or she'll get a major crush on you."  
  
"She already has a major crush on Gohan." Hiro joked. "It's too late to save him, Drew."  
  
The others jeered yet Gohan still felt worried about Vicky. Perhaps he should go over there and see what was wrong?  
  
He approached her table, sat beside her and smiled kindly. "What's wrong, Vicky? Where are your friends?"  
  
"What friends?" She sobbed. "Now that Faye has met Videl, she's totally ignoring me!"  
  
"You have other friends." Gohan said comfortingly. "What about Kylie, Emily and Hannah? And you also have me."  
  
Vicky looked up, bleary eyed and red faced. "Am I your friend, Gohan?"  
  
"Of course." He laughed. "So do you feel better now?"  
  
"Sort of." She mumbled. "But Faye has been my best friend since we were little kids. I don't see why she has rejected me."  
  
"Just talk to her." Gohan suggested. "Where is she now anyway?"  
  
Vicky blushed, her body quivering. Tears gathered in her eyes and eventually, she broke down and wailed.  
  
"I can't lie to you Gohan! Videl and Faye have sunk into the principal's receptionist's office to read your school file!"  
  
"What's that?" Gohan asked.  
  
"It's a file where the school keeps all your personal information like your birthday, where you live, who your parents are and stuff." She sniffed, wiping her wet eyes.  
  
Gohan jumped from the table and dashed down the hall. If Videl and Faye saw his school file and found out about his parents, it would all be over. His Sayian heritage would be all over the school and he would be labeled as some sort of freak. He had to stop them, whatever the cost.  
  
*****  
  
Videl and Faye made their way down the hall quickly. If they didn't hurry up, the bell would ring before class even begun.  
  
"Come on Faye." Videl urged.  
  
"Not fair, you're way more fit then I am, Videl." Faye called back.  
  
Videl smirked, enjoying the praise. She liked it when people considered her to be fit and strong. Just like her father.  
  
Hurrying down the corridor, Videl sharply turned a corner only to bash into Gohan and topple over. Gohan however, remained standing with a stern expression on his face, his dark eyes glowing with anger.  
  
"I know what you two are up to." Gohan said. "Why are you so keen to find out who I am?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Videl asked sourly. "Who have you been talking to?"  
  
"It doesn't matter. Now answer my question."  
  
It wasn't a request. It was an order.  
  
"Look Gohan," Faye finally said. "We just think the way you act sometimes is a little strange and we are just a little curious as to why."  
  
"My personal life is none of your business." He said sharply.  
  
His cold black eyes were filled with rage and his hair fell freely about his face and back. Videl blinked, realizing that Gohan looked much different in his anger. Almost....dare she even think it.....sexy.  
  
What? She was thinking like Vicky! Videl shook her head, blocking out all images of Gohan as a boyfriend. Gross! She had to get out of here before she started hallucinating again.  
  
"Come on Faye." Videl said hurriedly, whisking her friend away.  
  
Gohan stood alone in the corridor, watching them disappear. He then made his way to reception.  
  
"Lucy?" He said, leaning on the receptionist's desk. "I need you to make sure that two year seven girls named Videl and Faye don't get their hands on my school file."  
  
"You got it." Lucy said, giving him an odd look. "But why?"  
  
The bell rang and Gohan hurried back to class. 


	10. Dancing lessons

Three weeks later, it was finally the school holidays. However, hardly anyone chose to go home and Gohan, who wasn't aloud to fly home and couldn't afford to travel by plane any more than twice a year, was happy for their company.  
  
During this two week period, Gohan, Drew, Mitchell, Greg, Daniel and Hiro decided to go to the movies with Vicky, Faye, Videl, Kylie, Emily and Hannah.  
  
"What exactly are we going to watch?" Gohan asked Drew as he sat beside him in the cinema.  
  
"Some romance thing." Drew sighed. "Everyone says that year seven often start to get together over the first term holidays because after we go back, we have to start practicing for the formal."  
  
"What formal?" Gohan asked.  
  
"The stupid formal dance we have every year in the third term. We have to learn how to waltz and we have these stupid dancing lessons every second Friday throughout the second term. You're supposed to take a girl to it."  
  
Waltz!? Gohan had to learn how to waltz!?  
  
"But don't worry." Drew said, seeing the terrified look in Gohan's eyes. "In the fourth term we have a casual dance which is way more fun. Only you have to take a girl to that as well. So people are supposed to figure out who they're going to ask now."  
  
Gohan thought about the formal all through the movie. He was so paranoid that he didn't even fall asleep during the movie, even if it was some boring romance. How could he get up the courage to ask a girl? And what hope did he have learning how to waltz?  
  
The movie finished and everyone filed out into the sunshine.  
  
"Let's go and get something to eat." Daniel suggested. "I'm starving."  
  
Gohan trailed behind with Drew, wanting to know more about his new nightmare.  
  
"Who are you going to ask, Drew?" Gohan asked him curiously.  
  
Drew shrugged. "I haven't decided. I suppose Hannah. We went to the junior school formal last year so she might want to go with me again."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Gohan's thoughts were interrupted when a large teenage boy sprung in front of them.  
  
"Remember me?" He asked curtly.  
  
Gohan studied the boy's face. He was in about year ten with broad shoulders and a slender face. His eyes were crystal blue and his hair was pure blonde and as glossy as a full moon reflecting in a silver stream.  
  
"Sorry but I don't know who you are."  
  
The boy growled with anger. "I'm the guy behind the gym. You interrupted me and my girlfriend."  
  
"Oh yeah." Gohan smiled, remembering the day he decided to fly to Kami's lookout to get a senzu bean for Cecilia and had run into the two teenagers kissing. "How is your girlfriend?"  
  
He seemed even more angry than before. "I told you that day you had made yourself a powerful enemy and I stand by that. I can be pretty evil if I want to be, kid. My name is Chad Donahew. All the chicks dig me, and all the guys fear me. So you better be more careful around me."  
  
"You don't look that scary." Gohan said naively. "My little brother could probably take you down and he's only a year old."  
  
Chad was so filled with rage, he hardly managed to spit out a sentence. "You little....Ok, that's it. You're going down."  
  
Chad reached over and picked Gohan up by the shirt. Gohan didn't even try to struggle as Chad aimed his fist squarely on Gohan's face.  
  
How was he going to get out of this? If he fought Chad, they would all see his super strength. But then again, he had told everyone he was into martial arts. And he would only use a tenth of his strength so what was the harm in it.  
  
"The little punk isn't even trying to break free!" Chad cried. A large group of people were gathered around them now, one woman was getting out her mobile phone to dial the police.  
  
Chad aimed a punch at Gohan, who stopped it easily. He lowered his free hand to Chad's stomach, which he could barley reach and punched him with a tenth of his power.  
  
Chad dropped Gohan emidetly and fell back, staggering and gasping for air. Gohan got into his fighting stance and smiled evilly. Chad however, was no longer in the mood.  
  
"Ok kid, ok. You've made your point. Please don't hurt me; please."  
  
The other's laughed at the crying heap Chad Donahew had become. The crowd of civilians muttered to themselves as they began to depart. At that moment, the police roared up to the pavement and got out of the car.  
  
"Alright kids, explain." The chief police officer asked the group of kids in general.  
  
"We were just coming back from a movie when this guy jumped out of nowhere and challenged Gohan." Videl began to explain.  
  
"My word, Videl Satan!" The police chief exclaimed. "I didn't see you there, Videl. I wish I could have been here to see you beat up this thug."  
  
"But it wasn't me." Videl protested. "It was Gohan. That guy."  
  
All eyes turned to Gohan, who was standing meekly beside the winded teenager. The police chief's eyes widened with disbelief.  
  
"This little kid? Wow, you must have gotten it from Videl. But why did you hit him?"  
  
"Like Videl said, he challenged me." Gohan stumbled. "His name is Chad Donahew and he goes to Ellawin, like us. Only he's in year ten."  
  
"I see." The police chief smiled. "Well, I better take him back to school then. My gosh, you Ellawin kids are a tough lot. I should send my daughter there. Which reminds me, could I get your signature for my little girl, Videl? She idolizes you."  
  
After Videl signed for the police chief, they climbed on the next bus back to school.  
  
"Hey Gohan, where did you learn to fight like that?" Videl asked Gohan, sitting beside him on the bus.  
  
"He works out. His dad's into martial arts, like yours." Greg said, turning around in his seat to face them. "Hey maybe you guys should go to the formal together? You make a cute couple."  
  
Videl gave Greg her most menacing look. She and Gohan? No way! That would never work. Gohan still hated her for trying to look in his school file, didn't he? Then why was she sitting with him on the bus?  
  
The same thoughts were running through Gohan's head. She would never go to the formal with him, would she? Anyway, Gohan had a pretty good idea of who he wanted to ask now.  
  
*****  
  
Gohan dreaded the beginning of the new term. They would be starting dancing lessons that first Friday and it made his whole body shake when he thought about actually having to waltz.  
  
When Friday finally came round, Gohan trudged to the school hall, where dance lessons were held.  
  
"Don't worry." Hiro comforted him in Japanese. "I've never waltzed before either. Heaps of people haven't so we can all suck together."  
  
"Yeah." It seemed that Hiro didn't realize that Gohan would not only just suck, he wouldn't even be able to last five seconds without stepping on someone or falling over.  
  
The class gathered together in the hall. The dance teacher, an old, skinny woman in a dress made from goose feathers came into the room dancing. Her face was stretched with wrinkles and her eyes budged from their sockets.  
  
"Welcome." She said in her extremely irritating and overdramatic voice. "Welcome children, to your very first dance lesson. My name is Madame Dooblet. Here you are going to learn the arts of dancing. Once I am done with you, you will be able to waltz like royalty."  
  
Gohan severely doubted that.  
  
"Alright then children, find a dancing partner and YES your partner has to be of the opposite sex. Now hurry up, I don't have all day."  
  
Gohan scanned the room. Drew had asked Hannah to dance and most of his female friends had already paired up with someone. Even Vicky had reluctantly gone with Daniel. The only girl left to dance with was....Videl?  
  
"Looks like the two of you will be partners for dance practice then." Madame Dooblet smiled her sticky smile as she brought Videl to Gohan and forced them to join hands. Videl winced.  
  
"Don't worry dear, he won't bite. Your friendly, aren't you boy? Now everyone, let's practice without the music first. Relax in your partners arms.....I SAID RELAX!"  
  
Videl gingerly put her hand on Gohan's shoulder and jumped as he placed his on her hip. They held hands with their other hand. Videl felt his fingers press against her own. They were hot, clammy and....warm.  
  
"Ok, now step to my count. One two three, one two three, one two three. Girls, let your partner lead you. Let him pull you around the room. Relax in his arms and follow him."  
  
Gohan stepped backwards and she stepped forwards. He stepped forwards and she stepped backwards. This was easy! He would have no problem doing this. No prob....  
  
Videl suddenly pulled him forwards and he fell to the ground. He could hear her laughing, but it wasn't mocking laughter. She was laughing with him.  
  
"Careful girl." Madame Dooblet warned. "Don't lead him, let him lead you."  
  
Madame Dooblet put her hands firmly on Videl's arms and forced her to relax.  
  
"See now, isn't that better? Just let him lead you." Madame Dooblet turned back to the class. "Ok, now I will add music."  
  
She turned on the surround sound system in the hall and loud classical music blared from every direction.  
  
Gohan, relaxing a little too much, stepped the wrong way and accidentally squashed Videl's foot. Then she purposely squashed his. Soon, they were playing a secret game while waltzing. Madame Dooblet saw this and stopped it with a menacing stare.  
  
Gohan laughed, actually enjoying this and risked spinning her around. Videl laughed with him as she spun around in a circle, then looked up into his eyes. They were cold, black and filled with mystery. His hair cascaded freely down his back and his fringe blowed in the gentle breeze from the open window.  
  
"Alright class." Madame Dooblet finally said, stopping the music and everyone from dancing. "Dance class is over now. I will see you same time next week for more lessons."  
  
Gohan, Hiro and Drew walked down the hall together. Both of Gohan's friends were smirking at him in a queer way. Finally, Hiro got up the courage to ask Gohan the question that plagued both his and Drew's minds.  
  
"So what's going on with you and Videl, Gohan?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Gohan said with a laugh. "Nothing is going on."  
  
"Yeah right." Drew sniggered. "You guys were actually having fun together at the end of that lesson. I could tell when I saw the two of you together that she really likes you. You should ask her to the formal."  
  
"No way!"  
  
Though Gohan did admit to having a great time with Videl during the dance lesson, he already had someone else in mind to ask to the dance. 


	11. The formal

"Well this changes everything." Faye scowled. "I can't believe you've done a Vicky on me and fallen for Gohan."  
  
"For the last time I am not in love with Gohan!" Videl cried. "It wasn't my fault that we were paired together for dance practice."  
  
"But it was your fault that you enjoyed it. You can't deny you enjoyed dancing with him." Faye suddenly lit up. "But this is great! You can get close to Gohan and get him to reveal all about himself. Then we will know the truth about him. So if he asks you to the formal...."  
  
"I'll say no." Videl said stubbornly. "I am not going to the formal with Gohan. He probably won't even want to be my dance partner next week so what is the chance of him asking me to the real thing?"  
  
But Videl soon discovered she was very wrong about that. Gohan asked her to dance every dance practice and every time, Videl accepted. She would never admit it to Faye, but she did have a great time dancing with him. And he seemed to like her. Maybe he would ask her to the dance?  
  
Gohan, however had made other plans. With the term holidays fast approaching, he was trying to think of the perfect opportunity to ask his hopeful date.  
  
It was the night of the term holidays and the year sevens were organizing to take the bus to the nearest beach to celebrate their first semester of high school. Gohan thought this would be the perfect time.  
  
Apparently, so did most people, so Gohan didn't feel like he would be the only one. He scrambled through the crowd and finally found his way to her. But as soon as he approached his hopeful date, his mind went blank. What was he going to say to her?  
  
"Err...hi." He said after a while.  
  
"Hey Gohan." The girl laughed.  
  
"Um, I was wondering....do you have a dance partner yet?"  
  
"No." She smiled. "Some guys asked me, but I didn't really want to go with them, so I said no."  
  
"Well then," Gohan didn't really want to be rejected. "Do you want to go with.....possibly...err....me?"  
  
*****  
  
Videl bustled through the large crowd. Where on earth was Gohan? And why was she looking for him? It wasn't as if she really was low enough to follow him around until he asked her to the formal. She didn't even want to go with him....did she?  
  
"Sure Gohan. I'd be happy to go with you." At the sound of his name, Videl whirled around to see Gohan standing not too far away. He was looking particularly nice tonight in his swimming board shorts and no top. But it was a girl who replied to him. Who was it?  
  
As she came closer, she saw a tall pasty faced girl in a two piece swimming costume beaming at him. She had orange, red, shoulder length curly hair pulled into two pigtails and large green eyes. Yet Videl had no idea who she was.  
  
The girl smiled innocently. "I'm glad you asked me. I wanted to go with you more than any other boy in the whole school."  
  
Videl watched with horror as the girl leaned forward and pecked Gohan on the cheek, causing his face to burn red. Videl turned her back to them, her eyes swelling with tears and rushed away through the crowd.  
  
*****  
  
"I wanted to go with you because I knew that we are just friends and I wouldn't have to go expecting it to be a date." Cecilia smiled at her new dance partner. "It's a shame we aren't in the same class. Otherwise we could have had practice together too."  
  
"Yeah." Gohan grinned, happy at not being rejected and at not having to expect Cecilia to be his girlfriend.  
  
"Hey Cecilia!" A girl called. "Come on!"  
  
"Better go." Cecilia smiled. "I'll see you around Gohan. Oh, and tell me who is going with who, will you? I find all that stuff interesting."  
  
Gohan laughed and watched her disappear with her friends.  
  
"Hey Gohan!" Drew smiled, coming towards his friend. "Hannah and I are going together. Who are you with?"  
  
"Cecilia."  
  
"Wow! She's hot, Gohan. You're lucky. Most people were rejected when they asked her."  
  
"We're just going as friends." Gohan grinned foolishly. "I mean, I don't want to date her or anything. And she wouldn't want to date me because I pelted her with a baseball, remember?"  
  
Drew laughed. "Oh yeah. Now come on, let's go swimming."  
  
*****  
  
"Hey Videl." Faye sat beside her friend on the sand. "Greg just asked me to the formal. Did Gohan ask you?"  
  
Videl shook her head, holding back tears. "He's going with some red head. I saw him ask her."  
  
"Ouch, that's rough. What did the girl look like?"  
  
Videl described her and Faye's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Cecilia? But he pelted her with a ball during PE once!"  
  
"Well now they're together."  
  
Faye didn't know what to say. "Sorry."  
  
Videl sniffed, then put on a false smile. "Like I wanted to go with him anyway. I don't care. Now let's have a swim."  
  
Later in the night, Daniel cautiously approached Videl.  
  
"Hey." He said in a smooth and slick voice. "Going with anyone to the formal?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Want to go with me?"  
  
Videl looked over her shoulder to see Gohan, wet haired and beaming, talking to Cecilia. She sighed and then looked directly into Daniel's eyes.  
  
"Sure Daniel. I will go with you."  
  
*****  
  
The evening of the formal finally arrived. Gohan dressed in his best suit and actually bothered to brush his hair. He could feel sweat gathering on his forehead. He had had heaps of lessons in waltzing, but he hadn't actually been very good at it. Or tried to be very good at it. And this was a whole school event!  
  
"Hey Gohan!" Drew shouted, coming into Gohan's room in his best clothes. "We better hurry up or we'll be late. Nearly everyone has gone downstairs already."  
  
"Coming."  
  
Gohan hurried out of the room and followed his friend to the hall. It was decorated formally with flowers everywhere and a large banner hanging over the stage saying 'Ellawin Annual Student Formal' and the date on it. The tables of twelve were positioned all over the hall and decorated with white table clothes and flowers.  
  
"Hey Gohan." Cecilia smiled as she neared him.  
  
She was dressed in a formal gown as the rest of the girls were. It was hot pink with tiny straps and she had a matching handbag and shoes. For once, her hair was out and bounced freely about her shoulders. The colors she had chosen really brought out her eyes.  
  
"Hey." Gohan replied.  
  
They stood in silence, neither knowing what to do next.  
  
"So want to sit down?" Cecilia asked after a while.  
  
"Oh...yeah." Gohan sheepishly put his hand behind his head.  
  
They sat at a table with Drew, Mitchell, Greg, Daniel and Hiro with their dates. Drew with Hannah, Greg with Faye, Hiro with Emily and Daniel with Videl. The dance partners sat opposite each other and talked loudly amongst themselves.  
  
Gohan couldn't help noticing Videl stare at him. She wore a short bright red dress with her hair styled on the top of her head. When Gohan tried to smile at her, Videl turned away.  
  
After dinner, all eyes turned to the front stage where Principal Redson was ready to make a speech.  
  
"All I have to say is have fun." He beamed to his students. "Now let the dancing begin."  
  
The tables were cleared and stacked on the side of the room by the teachers and the classical music began to play. Gohan held out a hand to Cecilia and led her onto the dance floor. He could feel his whole body sweating as he struggled to get into position.  
  
"Just relax." Cecilia smiled kindly. "Pretend that you're back in dancing lessons and no one is here except us."  
  
Gohan followed her league, relaxing in her arms and led her backwards and forwards with ease. Much better! He could do this, no sweat. Why had he even been worrying before?  
  
*****  
  
"So want to dance?" Daniel murmured slickly in Videl's ear.  
  
She shook her head, her eyes following Gohan and Cecilia about the dance floor.  
  
"Come on Videl, I don't want to sit around all night."  
  
How could she ever let herself even think about going to the formal with Gohan? Like Faye said, he was a weirdo and she should concentrate on finding out about his true identity. He was he enemy....just her enemy.  
  
Gohan was smiling as he led Cecilia across the dance floor. If Gohan was her enemy, then why couldn't she take her eyes away from him?  
  
"Come on Videl." Daniel pleaded. "I'm bored. Let's dance."  
  
Videl ignored him completely. Why had she expected Gohan to ask her to the formal? Just because they had all those dance practices together didn't mean.....  
  
"Hey Videl....are you....crying?"  
  
Daniel reached over and laid a hand on her shoulder. His fingers were cold and rough. Gohan's had been warm and comforting. She slipped from under his fingers and hurried out of the room.  
  
*****  
  
Gohan watched curiously as Videl dashed out of the hall. Where was she going? The bathroom?  
  
He saw Faye cruise past him with Greg. If Faye was still here, they weren't planning to do anything together. So maybe Videl was going solo?  
  
Of course not. Videl was his friend now. They had had all those dance practices together so.....oh no! She was angry because he didn't ask her to the formal!  
  
"Excuse me, Cecilia." Gohan said, letting go of her hands. "I have to use the bathroom. I'll be back in a minute."  
  
"Sure." Cecilia smiled. "I'll wait for you."  
  
Gohan hurried out of the hall after the raven haired girl. Videl could feel him follow her and quickened her pace.  
  
"Videl!" Gohan cried. "Please stop. We have to talk."  
  
She turned around, her face firm and calm, her eyes dry. She gave him a crude smile.  
  
"We have nothing to talk about Son Gohan."  
  
"Are you angry with me? Did I do something wrong?"  
  
Videl glanced into his eyes. They were filled with mystery, sadness and fear for what she would say next. His hair flew wildly about his face and down his back. He wore a tight black suit and the most charming smile she had ever seen.  
  
"Do you like Cecilia?" She asked him.  
  
"She is my close friend so that's why we're going to the formal together; that's all."  
  
They were only going as friends. Of course, they weren't really a couple. But why did that matter to her? Here she was, the daughter of the great Hercule Satan worrying why some boy didn't take her to the formal.  
  
The very idea made her burst out laughing. She didn't really see what was that funny about it, but she couldn't help but to cry with uncontrollable laughter.  
  
And though Gohan didn't really know why he did it either, he threw his head back, laughing too. 


	12. Open day

Only a short while after the dance, Principal Redson called everyone out of class for an assembly.  
  
"Open day is fast approaching." He informed the school. Gohan could hear the older students groaning. "As most of you know, open day is the most important day in our school year for it is a chance for the public to get to know the school better. Therefore, I hope you will all be on your best behavior."  
  
As he left the hall, Gohan overheard some older students complaining.  
  
"Stupid fake day. Glad I'm not in year seven."  
  
"Fake day?"  
  
"Yeah." Said Drew, walking to his friend's side. "We call it fake day because we have to act polite and intelligent so that other people will want to send their kids here."  
  
"Why is that bad for year sevens?"  
  
"Because we have to be guides and show everyone around and stuff. Every year they pick a new grade to be guides and this year, it's our turn."  
  
"Charming." Gohan muttered under his breath. "Just lovely."  
  
That night, he received a phone call from Bulma. Something that he had definitely not expected to happen while at Ellawin.  
  
"Hi Gohan." She said brightly on the other end of the phone.  
  
"Hi Bulma. Why did you call me?"  
  
"Because we heard that open day is coming up and we have great news! I said that I'll pay for Chi-Chi, Goten, Vegeta, Trunks and myself to fly over and see your school!"  
  
Gohan gulped, not sure what to say. "Err...that's great Bulma."  
  
"Good. I'll see you soon, Gohan. Bye!"  
  
He hung up and hurried back to his room. He gulped, thinking of his family and friends coming to the school on open day. It's not that he didn't love them or ever wanted to see them again. It was just that he new that this could cause some serious trouble. Especially with Vegeta.  
  
Gohan dreaded open day even more as the days wore on. How long did they plan to stay? Where would they stay?  
  
"Why are you so glum Gohan?" Drew asked him after a while. "You haven't been the same since we were told about open day."  
  
"My family are coming." Gohan muttered.  
  
"So? What's so bad about that?"  
  
Gohan laughed. "You don't know my family."  
  
"Don't worry." Hiro said comfortingly. "My family are coming too and their a bit odd."  
  
"Ditto." Drew patted Gohan on the back. "It'll be fine."  
  
When open day arrived, the year sevens had to stand at the door in their full school uniforms and wait to be assigned to a group of people to show around. Feeling a lot like a tour guide, Gohan blended with the crowd in the hopes his mother wouldn't see him and go a bit....Chi-Chi like.  
  
Brother Sydenham, who was in charge of the year sevens for the day, marched right into the crowd and pulled Gohan to the front.  
  
"I think that you should take Mrs Briggs and her two charming daughters."  
  
Gohan gasped when he saw the giant woman he would have to lead. She was wide, wrinkly and her red, gold hair was styled professionally on her head. She was dressed in a floral pink dress with a matching bonnet, decorated with flowers.  
  
"Good morning child." The woman said in her most posh and formal tone. "These are my daughters Elizabeth and Rose. I am looking for a new school to send them to and I have my doubts about a boarding school for both males and females. It will take a lot to convince me to send them here."  
  
"Err...hi." Gohan said stupidly.  
  
Brother Sydenham laughed evilly. "I think you and Mrs Briggs will get on very well Gohan. Now off you go."  
  
Gohan could hear him laughing as he made his way up the next flight of stairs. He smiled to the two well dressed girls that were hidden behind their mother. They were twins of his age who looked exactly like Mrs Briggs, minus the wrinkles and weight. They were even dressed exactly like her.  
  
"So....what do you want to see?" He asked them.  
  
"Everything. But first the girl's dormitories. I believe that will interest Elizabeth and Rose the most."  
  
"Um....ok."  
  
Gohan led them up the nest flight of stairs. Mrs Briggs put her white gloved hand on the banister and gracefully climbed the stairs. Her daughters on the other hand, tripped and giggled amongst each other the whole way up.  
  
"Tell me Gohan, what is it like being a young man in this school?"  
  
Gohan had no idea how to reply. "I suppose it's ok."  
  
"I see. Face me boy." She inspected him from head to toe, then stood back with a frown. "Well you seem to be quite unkempt. I don't see how they could allow a boy to have such long hair."  
  
Gohan embarrassedly opened the door into the girl's dorm and waited outside so that they could inspect it. The others were right. This open day thing was going to be hell.  
  
*****  
  
Faye watched Videl lead a young couple up the stairs. She was one of the last year sevens left standing and it made her feel awaked. She was glad to see a new group of people arrive at the front entrance and pushed to the front so she could be picked.  
  
"Since you're so egger to take this group, I don't see why you can't." Brother Sydenham smirked.  
  
The group consisted of two women, one with teal hair and the other with raven black. A tall, dark and sexy man that Vicky would have died for, and two toddler boys, both with very....original hairstyles.  
  
"Sorry we're late." The teal haired woman beamed. "The plane was delayed so we were put off a bit."  
  
So they had come by plane. Faye gave them a close look. The youngest boy, not much older than one, was strangely familiar. She reminded him of someone she had met before.  
  
"My name's Faye. I'll be your guide."  
  
"Oh nice to meet you Faye." The teal haired woman said politely. "My name is Bulma and this is my husband Vegeta, my son Trunks, our friend Chi-Chi and her son Goten."  
  
Those names sounded awfully familiar. She knew she had heard of them somewhere, but where?  
  
"Come on then. What do you want to see first?"  
  
*****  
  
"Well that was quite an experience." Mrs Briggs huffed as she came out of the girl's dorm. "Those rooms are terrible and not at all suited for young girls."  
  
"I thought they were lovely." Smiled one of the two girls.  
  
"Do not speak out of line, Rose." Mrs Briggs gave her daughter a disappointed look. "So what now?" Gohan asked rudely.  
  
"Show us the bathrooms my girls will be using. Then the dining room, then the yard and finally the classrooms."  
  
"Um....ok."  
  
Gohan showed her everything in that order and every time Mrs Briggs pointed her oversized head into a room, she would inspect it just as thoroughly as she inspected Gohan.  
  
"So now what do you have to show us, child?" She asked Gohan after he had shown her every last classroom.  
  
"Well you've seen everything."  
  
"Well then it is a very small school indeed. The last school Elizabeth and Rose went to was ten times this size. No, I don't think we'll send my girls here."  
  
"But mother, we want to go!" Elizabeth complained.  
  
"Don't speak out of line, Elizabeth."  
  
Gohan, who had been slowly getting tired of this, burst out with a fit of sheer annoyance. "Elizabeth should be able to speak whenever she wants to."  
  
Mrs Briggs fell back a step, shocked from Gohan's outburst. "Well I never. My girls shall certainly not go here. Come ladies."  
  
"But we don't want to come. We like this school." Rose called back to her mother.  
  
"We like our old school. We don't want to move." Elizabeth agreed.  
  
"Ladies, we are leaving now. I am going to send you to a new school and definitely not this one."  
  
But no matter how hard Mrs Briggs tried, neither girl would budge.  
  
*****  
  
"That's just about everything." Faye said once she had shown her group around. "Will you like me to show you to the hall for tea and cake?"  
  
"Yes please and thank you dear." Bulma smiled.  
  
Tea? Cake? Vegeta had been having a terrible day. Why did he have to come? It wasn't his son, it was Kakkarot's.  
  
"Hurry up, Vegeta!" Bulma shouted. "And can you carry Trunks."  
  
"No I will not. He's your child."  
  
Bulma had discovered that Vegeta liked to pretend that he didn't have a son until Trunks was old enough to fight. But because she didn't even make an effort to pick up the two year old, Vegeta had no choice but to carry him.  
  
*****  
  
"Rose, Elizabeth, if you do not come now, I will have to use force." Mrs Briggs called.  
  
Neither moved. Mrs Briggs charged forward and pulled at Rose's arm. Elizabeth grabbed the other and pulled back.  
  
"Help us." She begged to Gohan.  
  
"You better not boy or I'll be having a word to your principal."  
  
Still, Gohan grabbed her arm and pulled. Everyone starred as Rose was torn from side to side. Gohan gave Rose one sharp pull and both girls flew back, only to be caught by Gohan. Mrs Briggs, on the other hand, lost her perfect balance and fell down the stairs.  
  
"Oh no, our mother!" Elizabeth cried.  
  
Mrs Briggs went sailing down the stairs and collided with a group of people. Gohan hurried to help her to her feet, only to realize that Mrs Briggs had fallen right into Vegeta.  
  
"What on earth are you doing?" He shouted to Gohan.  
  
"I have no idea." Mrs Briggs huffed. "The children were having a tiff and sent me flying downstairs. I don't know about you, but I am definitely not sending my children here."  
  
She looked down and saw the toddler struggling in his father's arms. "A bit too young to be considering school for, don't you think?"  
  
"He's not going. We came to see him." Vegeta nodded to Gohan.  
  
At that moment, Bulma, Faye and Chi-Chi came dashing up the stairs with Goten.  
  
"Oh my goodness, look at my baby boy!" Chi-Chi squealed, wrapping her arms around her son. "All dressed up in his uniform.....he looks so big!"  
  
Faye jumped, rubbing her eyes in disbelief. This was Gohan's mother? Of course, why didn't she see it before. It was the same woman in Gohan's pictures. And the one year old was Gohan's brother, Goten.  
  
Gohan noticed Faye and gave her a sharp look. Faye immediately turned around to go. "How have you been darling? Oh you must introduce me to your friends! All of them!"  
  
"Sure mum." Gohan smiled, happy to see her again. "Anyway you just met one of them. Faye is my......classmate."  
  
"Not your friend?" Bulma laughed, taking Trunks from her husband.  
  
"Not exactly."  
  
They came into the hall where the year sevens and the other visitors were gathered.  
  
"Now Vegeta, remember not to embarrass Gohan." Bulma whispered sideways.  
  
Vegeta grunted and took a piece of cake.  
  
"Hey Gohan!" Drew called. "Is this your family? Come and meet mine!"  
  
"That's my best friend Drew." Gohan smiled.  
  
They followed Gohan around the room and he introduced them to everyone. It didn't surprise him that Mrs Briggs, Elizabeth and Rose had decided to leave early. But despite the incident on the stairwell, open day had turned out better than Gohan had expected.  
  
*****  
  
Faye bustled through the crowd to find Videl. "Guess who I ended up with?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Gohan's family."  
  
Faye gestured to Gohan standing with a large group of people. She noticed that two of them were in one of Gohan's photos.  
  
"They're all really weird. Especially that tall guy. He's pretty scary actually."  
  
Videl wasn't looking at them anymore. For some reason, knowing about Gohan's true identity didn't seem the least bit interesting to her anymore. 


	13. Identities revealed

Towards the end of third term, everyone was instructed to clean out their lockers. Vicky, who was a real clean freak, brought spray and wipe to thoroughly clean out her locker.  
  
She was scrubbing away when she noticed the back wall in her locker was loose. Pulling on it, she saw that it was only a loose plank and she could easily slide it out. Behind it was a secret compartment and something shimmery and purple fell from it and landed in Gohan's lap.  
  
"Is this yours?" Gohan asked.  
  
Vicky shook her head. "I found it hidden in the back of my locker."  
  
Gohan studied the locket that had fallen into his lap. It was a large amethyst that glowed a light lavender colour. It hung from a silver chain that could easily slide over someone's neck. It didn't take a genius to work out what it was.  
  
"Vicky, I think this is Lavender's locket." Gohan whispered. "The one she lost, all those years ago and still searches for."  
  
Vicky face turned to a place white. After her experience in the graveyard, she decided she didn't like ghosts at all.  
  
"Are you sure?" She stuttered. "I mean, it could be anything."  
  
"We both have seen Lavender with our own eyes, we know the story is true. And this locket is just like the one from the story."  
  
"But doesn't that mean Lavender will come after me?" Vicky squeaked.  
  
"Not if you give the necklace to me." Gohan put the locket safely in his pocket. "I'll make sure that Lavender doesn't hurt you."  
  
Vicky's face burned red and she turned back to cleaning out her locker.  
  
*****  
  
"Guess what?" Vicky cried as she sat down beside Kylie, Emily, Hannah, Faye and Videl for lunch.  
  
"What?" They all asked in union.  
  
Faye could hardly believe her ears as Vicky explained her story to them. The other girls hung on her every word, listening intensively.  
  
"Sure Vicky." Videl joked.  
  
"What? Don't think a boy could be interested in me?"  
  
"No, I'm not talking about what Gohan said about protecting you. I'm talking about the Lavender story. Honestly, you don't really believe that do you?"  
  
"I saw Lavender with my own eyes." Vicky argued. "It is true."  
  
"Oh yeah." Kylie giggled. "The whole school thought you and Gohan were crazy."  
  
Vicky scowled, pretending Kylie hadn't said that. "Gohan says that he's going to return Lavender's locket to her tonight so that I won't have to do it. He said that he would make sure Lavender doesn't hurt me."  
  
Vicky and the other girls swooned. Videl and Faye gave each other a sideways glance.  
  
"Did Gohan say where he would take the locket?" Faye asked them irritably.  
  
"No, but I'm willing to bet he'll go to the graveyard. That's where we saw Lavender last time." Vicky sighed exhilaratingly, her mind still on Gohan.  
  
Faye stood up to go to the bathroom. In her mind, she was working out a plan to meet Gohan at the graveyard that night.  
  
*****  
  
Night was setting in and the wind was howling, pelting down on Gohan's tiny window. The young, now thirteen year old Sayian closed his books and hurriedly pulled on his training outfit, putting the locket round his neck and tucking it inside his clothes.  
  
The dorm was full of year seven boys, talking excitedly about the upcoming holidays. Gohan slipped out from behind his curtain and dashed across the room to the door, praying he wasn't seen. But luck was against him.  
  
"Hey Gohan!" Hiro called. "Where are you going?"  
  
All eyes turned to Gohan, who had one arm ready to open the door. He blushed, fiddling with the doorknob behind him.  
  
"I'm going for a walk." Gohan lied.  
  
"In this whether?" Drew joked as the wind wrapped fiercely against the windows.  
  
"I'm going for a walk around the school building."  
  
"Then I'm coming too." Drew replied, making his way to the door. Greg, Mitchell, Daniel and Hiro followed him. Gohan had no choice but to let them come and tell them what he was really doing.  
  
"You seriously still believe that?" Mitchell joked after Gohan explained. "You're too much Gohan, really."  
  
"You'll believe me when you see Lavender for yourselves." Gohan said in reply. "I'll bet you anything she'll be at the graveyard tonight."  
  
He opened the door and the bitter, blistering wind beat against their faces. The dark sky loomed above them, shrouded with thick clouds. It was going to rain anytime soon.  
  
"I don't know about you guys but I'm not so sure about this anymore!" Greg called to them over a harsh gust of wind. "I'm going back inside."  
  
Daniel and Mitchell followed him, leaving only Gohan, Drew and Hiro to continue on to the graveyards alone.  
  
As they neared the eerie cemetery, Gohan noticed the light of two torches beaming in the distance. The torch light was coming from the figures of two girls. When they came closer, Gohan saw it was none other than Faye and Videl.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Gohan asked them curtly.  
  
"We came to see the show." Faye joked in reply. "Vicky told us what you were planning to do."  
  
Videl, who was standing solemnly behind Faye, gave Gohan a sympathetic look. Obviously it wasn't her idea to come down here.  
  
They waited in a group beside Lavender's gravestone. Gohan kept away from Videl and Faye's torch beams. He knew that Faye had once seen him in his training outfit and if she noticed him wearing it again, she would ask questions. Gohan only wished he had been prepared for an audience. This changed everything.  
  
"So Faye," Drew asked into the silence. "Going out with anyone these holidays?"  
  
"No." Faye spat in disgust. "And I certainly don't want to go out with you."  
  
"I thought we could double date. You and me and Gohan and Videl. Wouldn't that be nice?"  
  
"Videl is not going out with Gohan, are you Videl?"  
  
"No." Videl was glad it was dark and no one could see her blush.  
  
Silence filled them again. Gohan wished that Lavender would hurry up.  
  
"Hey Gohan." Hiro suggested. "Why don't we just leave the locket on Lavender's grave and she can find it herself?"  
  
"It might blow away then." Gohan replied. "And besides, I want to give the necklace to Lavender myself."  
  
Finally, when midnight finally arrived and rain was beginning to fall softly on their heads, a burst of light filled the graveyard, knocking them all backwards.  
  
Lavender appeared, hovering just above the ground with long blonde hair that whipped about her face in the strong wind. Her pupil-less, dead white eyes fixed themselves on the three boys and two girls that cowered bellow her. The old Ellawin school uniform she wore was stained with her own, dried blood.  
  
"You." She hummed in her dead, droning voice. "The boy in the shining light. Why have you returned to my domain?"  
  
Gohan stepped forward and took the necklace out from inside his training outfit. Lavender gasped, reaching out her cold fingers to grasp it. But Gohan held it away from her, then tucked it back under his clothes.  
  
"Give it to me!" She shouted, advancing on them.  
  
"If I do, you must promise to leave this school and never trouble anyone again."  
  
Videl gasped, struggling to her feet. She had never seen Gohan like this before. In Lavender's strong white light, she could see his eyes ablaze with uncontrollable rage, fixed on the enemy and full of purpose. He was a whole new person; and he was ready to fight.  
  
"I swear. Now return my necklace!"  
  
Gohan removed the locket once more and this time placed it in Lavender's outstretched hand. He saw the evil grin spread across her dead lips as she closed her ice cold fingers around his own.  
  
She howled with laughter. "Shining boy, you shall never break free of my ice grip. And if you try and transform, all your friends shall see. You are trapped."  
  
"Shining boy? Transform?" Faye whispered to Videl. "What is she talking about?"  
  
Gohan knew her words were true. If he transformed into a super Sayian to save himself, everyone would see his power. Yet, saving his own lives and the lives of his companions was more important than concealing his power, wasn't it?  
  
An idea sprung into Gohan's head. "Run!" He shouted to the others. "Get as far away from here as fast as you can!"  
  
But Drew, Hiro, Videl and Faye could not move, their bodies fixed with fright and their eyes fixed on Gohan.  
  
"It's all over!" Lavender laughed coldly. "You shall die and I will continue to haunt and kill all children in this school until they all lye waist. Then the school will be mine to fill with dark spirits which will eventually spread and plague all earth. All will fall beneath the power of my magic locket."  
  
Videl, no longer able to stand it, rushed forward and aimed a side kick to Lavender's head. But her foot glided right through it and she screamed as a cold rush overcame her, and she fell back to the ground, weeping with pain.  
  
"Videl!" Gohan cried, his body filling with rage. He could no longer fight back the temptation to transform. In a blinding flash of golden light, Gohan became a super Sayian.  
  
Lavender let go of Gohan immediately and backed away from him, her mouth ajar with fear. "The light shall burn me! It burns!"  
  
She began to retreat into the darkness, but Gohan wasn't going to let her go that easily. He flew over the gravestones, his teal eyes fixed on her empty ones, and grasped her pale, chalky skin.  
  
She screamed in agony as his searing hot hands burned through her. She backed away, trying desperately to shield her eyes from his glow. Gohan rose further into the sky, positioning himself to fire his father's signature move.  
  
"KAMEHAMEHA!" He shouted and released the blue beam into Lavender's heart, burning heat into her and forcing her to retreat into the shadows. The necklace slipped from her neck and crumpled to no more than a pile of ashes under the force of the Kamehameha wave. She was never seen again.  
  
Gohan landed to the ground, transforming back into his original self and met with the utterly shocked faces of Drew, Hiro, and Faye. Videl lay on the ground, still holding her frozen leg.  
  
"So everything you said about being an alien....." Drew murmured in disbelief. "Is all true?"  
  
"Yes." Gohan confessed. There was no point in hiding it now. "But you must promise me that you will keep it all to yourself. If the whole school knew then I would attract the wrong publicity and it would also put my family in a terrible situation."  
  
Faye could hardly believe it. After spending nearly the whole year trying to figure out who Gohan truly was, it had all been proven in one night. She looked to Videl, who lay on the ground wincing with pain.  
  
"Please." Gohan begged, his eyes glaring into theirs so innocently. "Please don't tell anyone."  
  
"I won't say a word, Gohan." Drew managed to form a sentence. "You're my best friend and I would never want to hurt you or your family."  
  
"Ditto." Hiro said, then added in Japanese. "It has been a comfort to know there is another Japanese person to talk to in this strange new country."  
  
Gohan gave them both a thankful smile, then turned and knelt beside Videl, smiling into her eyes.  
  
"Will you tell?"  
  
Videl shook her head, then said through gritted teeth. "Never ever."  
  
Gohan grinned. "I'll get you a senzu bean later for your leg." He noticed the look of protest on her face and laughed. "Don't worry, it's perfectly safe."  
  
Only Faye remained. She stood on the opposite side of Videl her eyes never straying from Gohan. All eyes were on her as she bit into her lip.  
  
"So now you know the truth about me." Gohan whispered. "Is it enough to know you were right? Do you really have to tell everybody?"  
  
Faye was silent, then firmly shook her head. "I won't say anything, Gohan." 


	14. Lavender's true identity

Gohan sat in the school library, scanning through some books. Drew, Hiro, Faye, Videl and himself had used the search system to try and help him find information on Lavender and had brought all the books mentioning her name back to the table to study.  
  
Now the holidays were here, Gohan was abscessed with finding out more about Lavender's locket and how it had managed to find it's way into a hidden compartment in Vicky's locker.  
  
"Hey guys, I think I've found something." Faye cried, bending over a tiny, leather bound book. "The book itself is called 'Lavender' and it tells us her full life story."  
  
Gohan, Drew, Hiro and Videl leaned over Faye to read from the book.  
  
"Wow." Drew whispered as he turned the pages. "Lavender's real name according to the school records was Whitney and she was Ukrainian. Her father was a wealthy merchant and she was one of six children."  
  
"That's not the important information." Faye scowled. "The important thing is here."  
  
She turned to the back of the book and took out a small piece of paper written in old fashioned handwriting. "I can't read this, can any of you?"  
  
Gohan took the piece of paper in his hands and studied it carefully. "Maybe Bulma can. I can fax it to her at Capsule corp. and then she can send back a copy of what it says."  
  
They faxed it through and got a reply the next day. Bulma had translated it and printed it out.  
  
"It's a page from Lavender's diary." Gohan whispered. "She has written about the locket, saying it's a family heirloom that belonged to her great, great, great grandmother who was burnt for being a witch. It's supposed to have magical powers."  
  
"You mean like you, Gohan?" Faye asked, forgetting to keep her voice down.  
  
"Be quiet." Gohan muttered. "No, not like me. Like magical witch type powers. Probably not really true but Lavender believed it and wanted to keep the locket safe. Only one other person knew it's power. Her sister who attended this school. Lavender's sister hid the locket from her."  
  
"That means the story is wrong." Hiro murmured. "Lavender didn't die because she was leaning over the balcony to get her locket. Either it was an accident or she was pushed."  
  
"Most likely pushed. According to this, she had a few enemies. Obviously, people didn't like her."  
  
"It doesn't matter." Drew finally said as the school bell rang, signaling lunchtime. "Now come on, I'm starving."  
  
*****  
  
When school started again for the final term, there was only one thing on everyone's minds. The upcoming Ellawin end of school dance.  
  
"I don't want to have to ask a girl again." Gohan sighed, remembering how embarrassed he felt last time.  
  
"Just ask Cecilia again." Drew comforted him. "Most people are just asking whoever they went with to the formal."  
  
"So are you asking Hannah?"  
  
Drew shook his head. "I'm asking someone else."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Faye."  
  
Gohan laughed. "She'll never go with you, Drew. She hates you."  
  
"So? I'm going to ask anyway."  
  
Gohan stared gloomily out of the school library window. He and Drew and come down to do their homework but hadn't counted on it starting to pour with rain. Now they were stranded down in the library until it stopped.  
  
"Drew?" Gohan asked, keeping his eyes on the window.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"We don't have dance lessons for this, do we?"  
  
Drew laughed and slapped Gohan on the back in a friendly gesture. "Course not. This isn't at all like the formal. It's just a fun dance to finish off the year. Only unless you want to look like a total freak, I suggest you find a girl to go with. Everyone has to have a date for this thing. And I mean everyone."  
  
*****  
  
After school the next day, Gohan found Videl sitting alone outside under a tree. The storm had cleared up long ago and everything was clear and perfect.  
  
"Videl?" Gohan asked her, sitting beside her under the tree.  
  
She looked up and smiled. Gohan hadn't bothered to change out of his school uniform yet, but Videl was wearing tight fitting jeans and a bright red tank top. Her long, sleek black hair was pulled into it's usual style, and Gohan's was pulled into it's usual pony tail.  
  
He sat in silence, waiting for Videl to talk to him.  
  
"What did you want to ask me Gohan?" She smiled kindly, though she thought she already knew what the question was going to be.  
  
"I was just wondering....I mean, err..." Gohan put his hand sheepishly behind his head and blushed. This just wasn't working out.  
  
"Just say it." Videl said sharply, sounding more like herself and making Gohan relax.  
  
"Remember on the night of the formal how you were....not happy with me asking Cecilia?"  
  
"Yes?" Videl was certain now as to where this was going.  
  
"Well...." Gohan thought he better get it out quickly. "Would you mind if I asked Cecilia to the dance?"  
  
Videl's eyes widened in surprise, then filled with anger, yet her voice was calm. "Why should I care? It's not like we're going out."  
  
"Your right. I just thought I should ask you first, that's all."  
  
Gohan stood up and walked away, leaving Videl sitting under the tree, stunned. She had thought Gohan and come to ask her to the dance. HER! Not Cecilia. Again, she had been tricked into thinking that Gohan could ever like her in that way.  
  
But why should it matter? After all, she was the daughter of Hercule Satan and there was plenty of boys who would just die to take her to the dance. Gohan never liked her and never would like her any more than a friend. And that is how she should feel about him too.  
  
*****  
  
Cecilia was sitting with a group of friends when Gohan found her. The group had just been into town and had come back laughing and joking with each other. Gohan nervously approached them.  
  
"Cecilia, can I talk to you alone for a moment?" Gohan asked her shyly while Cecilia's friends giggled and nudged each other.  
  
"Sure." Cecilia beamed, then waved away her friends. "I'll catch up to you later guys."  
  
"Sure." A girl smirked. "Later." And they rushed off giggling stupidly.  
  
"So what did you want to say, Gohan?" Gohan knew it was better just to get it over with. "Are you going to the dance with anyone?"  
  
"No, I was hoping you and I could go as friends again."  
  
Gohan smiled. "Great. So was I."  
  
There was a long silence, then Cecilia shuffled in the direction her friends had gone in. "I have to go. I'll see you on the night, Gohan."  
  
"Ok. Bye." Gohan waved as she dashed away.  
  
With a heavy load off his chest, Gohan felt a lot better and went to find Drew. However, when he walked in on his friend, he found him asking Faye to the dance and hurriedly left again.  
  
*****  
  
As the dance grew closer, more and more people announced dates. Drew had by some miracle, convinced Faye to go with him. Hiro had surprisingly asked Vicky. Daniel was with Hannah, Greg with Kylie and Mitchell with Videl.  
  
Gohan was far less nervous about this dance than the formal as he didn't actually have to dance or waltz here. If he wanted to, he could just sit around the whole time. It wouldn't be a problem.  
  
But just because Gohan was less nervous about this dance than the formal, did not mean he wasn't nervous at all.  
  
*****  
  
Author's note: Sorry this chapter was kind of dull. But don't worry, the dance will be funny and there will be a major Gohan/Videl thing in two chapter's from now. 


	15. Videl's secret

Author's note: I am thinking of writing a chapter called 'Revolutions' in which I will wrap up any loose ends in the story so far. However, I can't think you anything left that needs to be finished off (besides the ending of course). If you have any suggestions or questions of things you'd like me to conclude properly, please let me know in your next review. Please and Thank you.  
  
By the way- THANKS FOR THE GREAT REVIEWS!! They all mean a lot to me!

  
  
The Friday before the dance, Gohan was so shaky he couldn't even hold a pen properly in his hand. He couldn't see why he had to be so nervous. It was, after all, supposed to be a fun school dance. No one else was worried about it. It would be much less stressful than the formal.  
  
"Gohan, are you ok?"  
  
He looked up to see Drew standing over him with a queer expression on his face.  
  
"Um....yeah. Just doing my science work."  
  
"Science finished twenty minutes ago. School's over for the day."  
  
Gohan jumped, realizing the time on the clock above the blackboard. He quickly gathered his things and hurried to his room to at least begin his homework.  
  
"Are you sure you're alright?" Drew asked him, hurrying to keep up.  
  
Gohan attempted to smile. "Yeah sure. I'm fine."  
  
"No you're not. I can tell that something is wrong, Gohan Son."  
  
Gohan sighed. He may as well tell the truth. "I'm nervous about the dance."  
  
Drew burst out laughing and then said in a loud, clear voice. "Why? This will be nothing compared to the formal. It's supposed to be fun! And a guy who has mastered galactic space travel should be able to handle a school dance."  
  
"SHUT UP DREW!" Gohan roared and Drew clamped a hand to his mouth. But it was too late. Greg, Mitchell and Daniel crammed into his small room in an instant.  
  
"....Galactic space travel?" Daniel asked, a confused look upon his face. "What on earth are you talking about?"  
  
"They were just playing another one of their stupid jokes. They pulled one on me earlier." Hiro came to their rescue. "You guys better quit it cause it's really getting on my nerves."  
  
Greg, Daniel and Mitchell each gave Drew and Gohan a queer look before edging out of Gohan's room. Gohan turned back to Drew. "You have to be more careful. What if we had been out in public, then what? The whole country would know my secret."  
  
"Sorry." Drew mumbled. "Didn't mean to. It just slipped out."  
  
He stood up to go, but Gohan held him back. "Drew, are you sure the dance will be ok? I keep getting bad feelings about it."  
  
Drew grinned. "It's a whole night away. Don't worry, I'm sure it will be loads of fun." 

Videl sat alone in the library and sighed as she watched her date, Mitchell stride by on his way out. He winked at her friendly and she gave him a shy wave. Mitchell was tall, blonde, tanned and with rich green eyes. The exact opposite to Gohan.  
  
Lately, she had been comparing everything to Gohan, including her math textbook. Gohan was much more exciting than math.....  
  
She shook her head fiercely. SHE HAD TO STOP DOING THAT! Gohan didn't like her. Gohan never liked her. He was in love with Cecilia. Cecilia was in love with him and there wasn't anything she could do about it. Even if she had _wanted_ to do something about it.  
  
The Friday afternoon sun streaked through the open window and lit up the desk where she was sitting in her daggy, gray 'sailor girl' school uniform with the matching bowler hat resting beside the math textbook she was supposed to be using to study for the end of year exams. So far, she hadn't even past the first sentence.  
  
"Videl!" Faye cried as she darted over to her friend. "I've been looking for you everywhere."  
  
Though she didn't at all feel like it, Videl put on a false smile. "What's up?"  
  
"You had a phone call." She paused to raise excitement. "From your father; Mr Satan! Isn't that cool or what?"  
  
"Well not really. My father isn't all that amazing to me. After all, I have been seeing him everyday of my life for the past thirteen years I have been alive."  
  
"The boarding Mistress is excited. She actually answered the phone and spoke with him! I was sent with a message to tell you that you're supposed to go and call him back."  
  
Videl followed Faye back to the boarding house and dialed her home number on the tiny phone down the end of the corridor. Faye stood beside her, watching with excitement.  
  
After talking with the butler, Mr Satan approached the phone and bellowed into the other end.  
  
"Where were you Videl? I thought I told you that if you want to go to this boarding school, you have to stay in your room after school and on the weekends and only leave for es, meals and sports. You are not to do anything else. I THOUGHT I MADE MYSELF CLEAR ON THAT!"  
  
Videl held the receiver at an arms distance and still, she could hear her father screaming his head off on the other end. His voice wasn't particularly enchanting, yet Faye's eyes sprung open in awe.  
  
"I was in the library, studying for a test." Videl said as calmly as possible so that passers by would think she was having an ordinary conversation.  
  
"Studying for a test my foot! I bet you were with some boy, weren't you?" He spat the word 'boy' as if it were some filthy disease.  
  
"Oh don't worry about that, Dad." Videl said gloomily, then added with a whisper. "Why would a boy want to spend time with me?"  
  
"What was that?" Mr Satan screamed.  
  
"Nothing, Daddy. Sorry, what did you call me to say?"  
  
"I called you to tell you that you will not be returning to Ellawin school again next year."  
  
Videl froze, unable to believe it. Not returning next year? Never to see Gohan Son again?  
  
"Why?" She stuttered after a long silence.  
  
Mr Satan's voice softened. "Because I missed you this year and I want you to come home. Besides, if you go to school locally, then I can keep a better eye on you."  
  
Videl was quiet again. She knew once her father had made his mind up, he wouldn't change it. If only there was a way to make him let her stay....  
  
"Videl?"  
  
Maybe leaving Ellawin was for the best. She loved Gohan; she could no longer deny it. But he had Cecilia and telling him she loved him would leave him confused and clueless. However, she couldn't pretend that she didn't like him. As time wore on and they became old enough to have a proper relationship, it would become more and more obvious. So eventually he would find out anyway.  
  
"Videl? Are you there?"  
  
If he decided to brake up with Cecilia for her sake, it would brake his heart. And if Gohan was hurt, Videl would be too. If she left the school, then Gohan would never know and they could both get on with their lives.  
  
"Videl? Say something. Anything."  
  
But she couldn't leave without letting him know. If she had to leave Ellawin at the end of the year, she would never see him again. So what harm could telling him do?  
  
"VIDEL GABRIELLE BRIDGET SATAN, TALK TO ME THIS INSTANT!"  
  
Mr Satan's harsh voice broke through Videl's thoughts and she answered him lightly. "Yes father? What school do you plan to send me to next year?"  
  
"Orange Star High. It's only a ten minute drive from home and it's a public school. Like I said before you left, I don't know if I want you growing up with all that catholic stuff in your head if you're not catholic. And here you can make friends with Japanese kids and you won't have to speak English all the time."  
  
"Sounds great." She said it sarcastically, but Mr Satan believed her.  
  
"Good then. So when the year is up, come home on the next flight to Japan and I'll have my favorite chuffer meet you at the airport to take you home. See you then dear."  
  
"Bye Dad. I love you." And she hung up.  
  
"What was all that about?" Faye asked curiously.  
  
"I'll tell you later. First I have to find someone."  
  
"Who?"  
  
Videl winked. "Don't worry about it. I'll see you at dinner." 

  
  
Gohan, Hiro, Drew, Mitchell, Greg and Daniel were playing basketball on the basketball courts when Videl came rushing up to them alone.  
  
She was wearing a pale pink t-shirt pulled tightly against her chest and a denim mini skirt with matching slip on shoes. Her hair was out and cascaded freely down her back in a mass of raven beauty.  
  
Gohan stopped when he saw her approach. Though the others were covered in sweat, not a bead of perspiration was visible on Gohan's smooth skin. His eyes were dark, full and curious as to what she had to say. He wore the school PE uniform, a gray tank top and shorts, with his dirty running shoes.  
  
"Hey Videl." He smiled happily. "What's up?" She didn't speak until she had reached him properly. Their eyes met and she felt her legs melt beneath the weight of her body. She opened her mouth to say something but not a sound came out. Gohan tilted his face to one side, his eyes alive with curiosity and confusion. Videl shut her own, keeping her face downwards and tried again.  
  
"I need to talk to you."  
  
It came out as a whisper, no louder than a feeble squeak. But Gohan heard her and signaled to his friends.  
  
"Be back in a minute, guys."  
  
"You and Videl sneaking behind the gym together, huh?" Daniel laughed mockingly.  
  
Gohan brushed away Daniel's comment, pretending he hadn't said it. Though like Videl, his cheeks were rose red. He took her hand and led her through the school grounds and down to the large tree. The same tree Videl had been sitting under when Gohan came to ask her permission to take Cecilia to the dance.  
  
"What was it you wanted to say, Videl?"  
  
The sun was really setting now, it's red, pink beams dancing between the tree leaves and reflecting onto Gohan's perfect face. She starred at her shoes, unable to utter a word.  
  
Gohan reached out a hand and laid it softly on her arm. "Just tell me. I'm sure you'll feel better once you've said it."  
  
Did he know what she was going to say? Did he expect she wanted to tell him her secret love for him? What should she do now?  
  
"My father called." She finally said. "He said that I'm not allowed to go back to Ellawin next year. He wants me to go to a local school."  
  
Gohan's face appeared shocked. Was he shocked because he didn't expect her to leave; or was he shocked because he had expected her to say something else? When he made no reply, she continued.  
  
"Anyway, that obviously means that we'll never see each other again, unless we bump into each other in Japan which is very unlikely since we both live in different parts of the country. So...."  
  
"So?"  
  
She looked into his eyes and felt her knees drop under her weight again. She couldn't do it. She just couldn't. She was the daughter of Hercule Satan! Things like this just didn't happen to her. She wasn't supposed to fall in love.  
  
He removed his arm, which he still had kept comfortingly on her own and placed it firmly on her shoulder. "Please tell me."  
  
Tears sprung into her eyes. Over and over inside her mind, Videl told herself that she would leave soon and never ever see Gohan Son again. So this was her last chance. This was the only time she had left to tell him. But still, her throat was so dry, she couldn't utter a sound.  
  
"I....."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Gohan; I...."  
  
"What is it, Videl."  
  
"I love you Gohan."  
  
She said it so fast, fixing her eyes on the grass bellow her feet. She risked looking at Gohan's shoes, which were shuffling nervously on the grass. What now? Should she tell him how long she had loved him or when she realized it? Should she describe him through a poem or some soppy song like the people in the romantic movies do? Should she take her father's approach to love and act sexy and desirable?  
  
She slowly let her eyes fix themselves on Gohan's face. The confusion in his eyes was still there, only now his face seemed different. As if he was looking at her in a whole knew way.....  
  
She was so stupid! How could she let herself sink so low? He was with Cecilia and he obviously didn't want her messing it up for him. Now what? At least she didn't have to face him next year. At least she would never see him again. At least....  
  
She turned away and broke into a run. She sprinted away from the tree and back to the school building as fast as her legs could move. She heard Gohan call her name, but still she ran towards the school, not daring to look back. And leaving an utterly bewildered Gohan standing alone by the tree. 


	16. The school dance!

Author Note: In your reviews, someone mentioned that Gohan and Videl were too young for love. That's true, but they aren't too young to develop a crush on each other are they? I suppose that's how their feeling now. In Videl's mind, she thinks she is in love with Gohan. Just thought I should clear that up.  
  
That Saturday, Gohan felt a shudder run through his body as he dressed in his new outfit. No one was wearing a suit to the dance and Gohan didn't want to look weird. He had convinced his mother to put extra money in his school bank account so that he could buy a new outfit to wear. He and Drew had gone shopping together that morning.  
  
After three hours of wondering through the town, Gohan and Drew both bought dark denim jeans and silk black tank tops. Gohan wore his hair in it's usual pony tail, only a little bit better brushed for a special occasion. Drew had his stuck up with gel.  
  
"Time to go boys." The boarding Master wrapped sharply on the dormitory door. "Can't keep the ladies waiting."  
  
Gohan, Drew, Hiro, Mitchell, Greg and Daniel made their way down to the school hall, were the dance was to be held. The hall had been decorated with streamers and balloons hanging on the ceiling. The walls were covered in pictures and decorations and the usual eating tables from the dining room had been brought in and covered in rainbow tablecloths.  
  
"It looks so different." Gohan whispered as he starred around the hall.  
  
"Hey Gohan!"  
  
Cecilia dashed to his side, wearing a red, knee high dress with thin straps and high heels. Her hair was out and fell free about her shoulders. She gave him a charming smile.  
  
Slowly, the other girls made their way to their dates. Gohan saw Videl in a pale blue dress that touched her shins. The sleeves draped over her arm to reveal the top of her shoulders and her hair was in it's trademark style, pulled back with white ribbons. He tried to smile but she turned away. They hadn't had a chance to speak since yesterday afternoon.  
  
"We should grab a table guys." Greg suggested. "Their filling up fast.  
  
Gohan sat at a table with Cecilia, Drew, Faye, Mitchell, Videl, Hiro and Vicky. There wasn't enough room for anymore. Besides the festive rainbow tablecloth, a large ornament of multicolored balloons sat in the middle of the table, held down with a rock disguised under purple tissue paper. The boys sat together with their dates opposite them, like in the formal.  
  
Dinner was served in the hall and Gohan kept his eyes on Videl, who starred down at her feet. He had been worried about her all day. It must have taken a lot of courage to tell him she liked him. And somehow, he had hurt her feelings. He hadn't meant too and he had been hoping she would be ok.  
  
Videl, on the other hand, was feeling utterly embarrassed. She should have kept her feelings to herself. Now Gohan wouldn't stop starring at her! She wished he would just look the other way. He was making her feel uncomfortable.  
  
Her mind was filled with questions. Had he told anyone what she had said? Did Cecilia know? Did anyone else know? How would she be able to handle it if everyone knew that Videl Satan had a crush?  
  
The food was finally taken away and the hired DJ began to play the music. The first to stand up and dance were the older grades, the girls resting their heads into their boyfriends shoulders and totally grossing Videl out. Soon, the others stood up.  
  
Mitchell held out his hand to Videl. "Want to dance with me?"  
  
She shrugged and let him lead her onto the dance floor.  
  
Gohan could feel himself sweating as he and Cecilia crossed the dance floor together.  
  
"Don't worry, Gohan. This isn't like the formal at all. Just dance anyway you want to."  
  
Gohan sheepishly placed a hand behind his head and grinned. "Actually, I'd rather not dance at all if it can be helped."  
  
Cecilia groaned. "Oh come on. Just one dance. Please?"  
  
Gohan sighed and held her hands. Cecilia was good at dancing, keeping to the beat of the music and moving in modern, sexy styles. Gohan just trembled, risking taking a step when possible.  
  
"Just relax, listen to the music and do whatever you feel like." Cecilia instructed.  
  
"Um....ok." Gohan didn't feel like dancing at all. But still, he held Cecilia's hands and moved with the beat.  
  
"That's better. Don't you feel better now, Gohan?"  
  
He felt worse. The hall stunk from the previous meal and he felt like throwing up. He watched as Videl came past with Faye, dancing with her as friends. Most couples had stopped dancing together now and had moved on to their friends. Gohan and Cecilia must have been the only couple left still together.  
  
For a moment, Gohan's eyes met with Videl's and he felt even worse. He wished he hadn't made her feel so bad. She must hate him now.  
  
"Gohan? Are you ok? You don't look so good."  
  
Cecilia stopped dancing and her bright green eyes filled with concern. "Maybe you should sit down now."  
  
Gohan opened his mouth to say something but couldn't. His throat was clogged up with the stale fish they had for dinner. It was too late. He was going to hurl.  
  
Quickly, his eyes darted to the bathroom, but it was just too far away. He would never make it in time. He pushed through the crowd, Cecilia not far behind him and searched for a place where he could....take care of business.  
  
Finding nothing, Gohan collapsed on the snack table that had carefully been laid out by the school staff three hours previous and leaned into what appeared to be a large bowl. He hurled, feeling his head clear and his vision as well. He saw what he had vomited into now. It was the large bowl of punch that Miss Daniels, his math teacher, had spent all day making.  
  
"Hey look, that kid vomited in Daniels' punch!" Some older kid shouted.  
  
The news quickly spread throughout the hall and soon everyone in the school knew. They were all bursting into fits on hysterical laughter, only Cecilia kept a straight face and tired to comfort him. Out of the corner of his eye, Gohan saw Videl, laughing too.  
  
"My.....My special homemade punch." Miss Daniels cried. "YOU DESTROYED IT! YOU DIDN'T LIKE ME SO YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUNNY TO DESTROY IT!"  
  
Gohan gasped as Miss Daniels made her way over to the punchbowl and burst into a fit of hysteria, crying and swooning over her spoilt punch.  
  
"I slaved in the kitchen all day! ALL DAY! Why do you all hate me? Am I ugly? Do I have big ears? Oh, why me???"  
  
"Calm down, woman!" The PE teacher cried. "It's a bowl of punch!"  
  
"It's more than a bowl of punch. It is my special, homemade bowl of punch." She wiped her eyes.  
  
"I'm so sorry." Gohan mumbled over the sounds of laughter coming from the other students. "I didn't mean to ruin it. Things just happen."  
  
Only a while after Miss Daniels stopped wailing and most people had stopped laughing, Gohan took a step forward, tripped on his untied shoelace and fell back on the table, smacking down on it sharply to stop him from falling and sent the food flying overhead.  
  
Drinks flew and hit the dancing children. Cakes smacked into the teachers. But the most revolting thing of all, the vomit filled homemade punch, flew across the room, spilling it's substance on the night watchman's head.  
  
Everyone gasped as the sloppy substance drizzled down his clothes and his eyes filled with burning rage. All turned to stare as he made his way across the floor and grasped Gohan by the shirt.  
  
"You." He spat. "Truth or dare boy. I bet you were the one who bashed the piano into the wall first day back. You've had it in for me since the day you arrived, you filthy little urchin."  
  
"That's quite enough." Principal Redson said sternly, then added with a laugh. "It was not this boy's fault. It was an accident and I am sure that Mr Son couldn't control the direction the bowl flew in, now could he?"  
  
"Oh you bet he could. This little bugger of a kid can do anything of he wants to."  
  
"That's quite enough. I will not have you abusing my students, night watchman. Now go and get yourself cleaned up. However, it may help if Mr Son apologizes first."  
  
"Sorry." Gohan muttered.  
  
The night watchman just scowled and hurried out. Once he was gone, the hall rang with student's laughter.  
  
"Alright now, quiet please." Mr Redson called. "We will continue with the dance as though nothing has happened. Enjoy yourselves, children."  
  
Gohan breathed a sigh of relief. He had been lucky, and he was glad that tonight's events had happened towards the end of the year when he had less chance of getting into trouble with the night watchman.  
  
Cecilia sprung on him suddenly, pulling him into a friendly hug.  
  
"That was hilarious, Gohan." She beamed. "You have a habit of making funny things happen when your around. I swear, I haven't laughed as much as I have this year in all my life and I owe it to you. Even when you hit me with a ball at the beginning of term, you left me laughing about it in the infirmary."  
  
"Thank Cecilia." Gohan said half-heartedly.  
  
He was watching Videl, standing only a short while away. Her face was a rose pink form laughing and she actually smiled when their eyes met, signaling that they were still friends.  
  
"Um....Cecilia?" Gohan asked.  
  
"Yeah?" She replied.  
  
"Err....would you mind if I....danced with someone else?"  
  
"Oh?" She giggled. "Who?"  
  
"Videl." Gohan watched his shoes, his face a slight red.  
  
Cecilia giggled as foolishly as her friends always did. "Oh, so you like Videl, huh? I knew it. She's the perfect girl for you."  
  
"You're not mad I don't like you?" Gohan asked, then quickly added. "In that way?"  
  
Cecilia burst out laughing. "Of course not. I thought I told you, we're just friends. At one stage I was hoping something could come of us as a couple, but then I realized that it just wasn't meant to be and we would be better off as friends."  
  
"Good then." Gohan stood beside her, wondering what else to say.  
  
"What are you still doing here?" Cecilia cried after a long silence. "Go and ask her to dance!"  
  
Before Gohan could say a word, Cecilia pushed him away from the table they were standing nearby and straight into Videl.  
  
"Whoops. Sorry." He mumbled, backing away from her.  
  
Videl giggled, then her face hardened. "Why aren't you dancing with Cecilia?"  
  
"Well, I was hoping that I could dance with you." Gohan could hardly believe it. He had finished the sentence without stuttering once.  
  
Videl's face turned bright red. "Not Cecilia?"  
  
"No. You."  
  
Videl could hardly believe it. This was definitely not what she had expected to happen tonight. Had Gohan made a mistake? Had he asked the wrong girl to dance? No, he had asked her. Not Cecilia, not Vicky, not Faye, or Emily, or Kylie or Hannah. Her. Videl Gabrielle Bridget Satan.  
  
He took her hands and led her onto the dance floor. He geld her hands and at first, they both shook, not sure what to do. Then, after a few sideways steps, they launched into dance.  
  
Laughing, Gohan spun her around, perhaps a little too fast and using just a tad too much Sayian power. She went flying into a grade eleven girl dancing with her boyfriend.  
  
"Ooops. My fault." Gohan grinned. The night carried on and Gohan didn't leave Videl's side until the last song had played. Then finally, they stopped dancing and edged slowly amongst the crowd to reach their rooms.  
  
"I had fun tonight." Gohan smiled.  
  
"Me too." Videl blushed deeply, wishing she didn't look like such an idiot.  
  
"I'm glad." Gohan stopped walking and turned to face her. For a few seconds, she feared he was going to do something she didn't feel at all ready for. Instead, he smiled innocently and placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Then I'll see you tomorrow at church?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah. Church."  
  
Videl hated for the night to end. It had been the best night of her life so far and she was willing to bet she would remember it forever. She hated to think that soon, she would leave Ellawin for good and never see Gohan again. But maybe it was for the best. After all, she wasn't in anyway ready to have a boyfriend, even if her father would let her.  
  
They reached the corridor that separated the year seven boy's dorm form the girl's. Gohan smiled one final smile before saying a last goodnight. Videl watched him walk away amongst the crowd before returning to her dorm for the night.  
  
Author's Note: Hoped you liked this chapter. Sorry if the story is getting too romantic. Remember what I asked previously about writing a wind-up-the- story chapter and answer me in your reviews. Thanks a lot. 


	17. Gohan's flower

Videl sat alone on her bed in her dormitory, flicking lazily through her homework diary. She could hardly believe that it was her final week of year seven and soon she would be in grade eight at Orange Star High!  
  
While Videl's mind drifted elsewhere, Vicky came into her room, startling Videl and making her jump.  
  
"Sorry." Vicky grinned. "Didn't mean to scare you."  
  
Videl gave Vicky her 'you-better-not-mess-with-me' look. "I wasn't scared. You just startled me, that's all."  
  
"Oh ok then." Vicky sat on the end of Videl's bed and produced a piece of pink paper. "Gohan wanted me to give this to you."  
  
Vicky handed over the piece of paper and Videl nervously took it in her hands. She unfolded it and gasped when she saw what it said.

"So Gohan, what are you doing these summer holidays?" Hiro asked as he, Gohan and Drew sat together in the library.  
  
"I suppose I'll do a lot of training. I haven't been able to for sometime." Gohan replied lazily, his eyes fixed on the window.  
  
"I'm not doing anything much either. Just spending time with family, I suppose." Drew added, desperate to join the conversation.  
  
"Same." Hiro decided it was time to change the subject. "I heard Videl isn't coming back to Ellawin next year. Her father wants her to go to a local school, according to the rumors."  
  
"I don't know if I want to come back next year." Gohan said sleepily and stretched out across the desk they were sitting at.  
  
Drew and Hiro suddenly sat upright. "Not coming back!?" They cried in union.  
  
Gohan grinned. "I don't think so. I missed my mother and brother so much this year and I think they missed me too much to let me come back next year. If I stay at home and continue my studies while not going to a school, I think I'll be able to study much harder and manage to keep up my fighting as well. Anyway, Goten is two years old now and in a few more years, he'll be old enough to start training. I want to be there to teach him."  
  
"But....school won't be the same without you." Drew mumbled.  
  
"Hey, I'm not sure yet. When I get home, I'll talk things over with my mother. So if I don't turn up next year, you'll know why."  
  
Hiro and Drew where speechless and sat on either side of Gohan in silence. Gohan continued to stare out the window and wondered if Vicky had given Videl his letter yet. "Can I read it?" Vicky asked. "What does it say?"  
  
Videl looked up from the letter and scowled. "No you cannot read it. Get lost, Vicky."  
  
"Oh please, Videl! Let me see! Is it a love letter?"  
  
"No! Now get lost, Vicky. I have homework."  
  
Obviously defeated, Vicky left the dorm and hurried to find her friends. Since Faye now had realized Videl wouldn't be returning this year, she had renewed her friendship with Vicky. However, so much had happened between them this year that Vicky was no longer sure she could be best friends with Faye again as she used to be. Now, her main friendship was with Emily, Kylie and Hannah and Faye's was more with boys. Drew, Hiro and that lot.  
  
Once Vicky had left, Videl opened the letter again and grinned. She read it over and over again until she had memorized it off by heart and then tucked it away in her half packed suitcase.  
  
_Dear Videl,  
  
I know it is true that you will not return to Ellawin next year, and neither shall I. I have decided I want to stay at home next year and continue my education in Japan, like you have decided to.  
  
Even though I'll miss you a lot, I think that it is better this way. After all, we are both only thirteen! And I don't think I am ready to have a girlfriend, and my mother probably wouldn't allow it. She wants me to learn and nothing to get in the way of my studies. I am sure that you and your father are feeling the same.  
  
I would just like you to know that this last year has been one of the most memorable years of my life and I don't think I'll forget it in a hurry. My most memorable moment was the day you told me you had feelings for me. You looked so beautiful that day. If only I had not been such a coward, I could have told you I loved you too.  
  
In case we never see each other again (Which is most likely the truth) I wish you all the best for the future and I hope that you become the great fighter you are destined to be.  
  
Goodbye Videl, my flower.  
  
Love,  
  
Son Gohan _


	18. Departure

Author Note: This is my final chapter guys. Sorry, but I don't think I will make a sequel to this story because I have some new ideas buzzing around in my head and I don't like having to write two stories at once. After this one is finished though, I am shortly going to start a new story. I'll give you a brief outline of what that one will be about.  
  
Marron is the most popular girl in Orange Star High. All the girls want to be her and all the guys want to go out with her. She has a crush on Trunks, like many girls in the school, yet she has grown to hate his best friend Goten over the years.  
  
She can't understand why everyone likes him. Their fathers are best friends, he is Trunks' best friend and he is pretty popular considering at high school. She's the only one who seems to hate him. It is pretty much the story of how they come to like (maybe even love) each other over several years. Only it is told with a few twists and turns along the way. It is told from Marron's point of view.  
  
Make sure you all read and review that story when it comes out. Thanks again.  
  
Before Gohan knew it, the final day of grade seven had arrived. It would be a half day, so that everyone could get the plane home and be there on time. It would start with the first two periods spent in class, then one after recess for packing and then the last one spent at assembly and finally they would be able to go home.  
  
Gohan felt so strange going to class for the last time. They had an English lesson followed with and RE lesson.  
  
"Typical." Greg shuddered. "Our last class for the year had to be RE, didn't it?"  
  
"Lighten up, guys." Hiro beamed. "After this, we have a whole six weeks vacation to do whatever we want. We just have to get through today."  
  
During English, Mrs Rosenburry started to cry.  
  
"I-I can hardly believe how much you have all grown up over the past year." She sobbed. "You all look so much older now. And I-It's so-so sad to see two of our finest students depart from our f-fair school c-c-community."  
  
"She blubbers away like this to every class on the last day, according to my brother." Drew whispered. "Sometimes I think she's worse than Miss Daniels."  
  
After English, Gohan made his way to RE with utter depression. He knew it was his final RE class ever, yet even that pleasant thought still didn't cheer him up. And brother Sydenham was looking the worst Gohan had seen him all year.  
  
"This may be your final day, children. Yet still, it is not your last day in Ellawin and certainly not your last day in the sight of God. So if you decide now is the perfect opportunity to muck up, I will personally unsure that you wish you had never been born."  
  
"But brother Sydenham." Gohan called. "Today is my last day at Ellawin and my last day in the sight of God because when I go home, I can stop being a catholic."  
  
Brother Sydenham scowled deeply, then smirked strangely. "Gohan Son obviously hasn't listened to a word I have been saying. Take heed boy, I'm going to keep an eye on you."  
  
"You must have very good eyes than if you can keep an eye on me from way over here while I'm in Japan." Gohan said, without thinking.  
  
The class howled with laughter and brother Sydenham's face burnt red. "Quiet!" He bellowed. "Now settle down so we can do some work!"  
  
"You really got under his skin, Gohan!" Drew laughed as they stepped outside the classroom. "Good going!"  
  
Gohan laughed. "I'm glad. Out of every weird teacher I've had here, he's been the worst."  
  
They hurried to pack their bags over the next period so that they could be ready for their next flight. Hiro was planning to take the plane to his home town, and Gohan was going on the same flight, planning to fly home after that. He simply couldn't wait to get in the air again and he really would rather have company on the flight home.  
  
After they had packed their bags, it was time for assembly. Gohan fidgeted all the way through Principal Redson's end of year speech, too excited about going home to listen. When it was finally over, he hurried back upstairs to his room and was the first to grab his bags and be ready to take the bus to the airport.  
  
The bus trip home was much more leisurely then the bus trip there. Because he had been so quick, Gohan managed to grab seats for himself and his friends, who sat together in the bus and talked happily about going home. Videl was on the same bus, yet because of the large crowd, he didn't have time to talk to her.  
  
When they got off at the airport, Gohan said one last goodbye to Greg, Drew, Daniel, Mitchell, Faye and Vicky, who were boarding the next plane for America.  
  
"We'll miss you Gohan." Drew said as he hugged his friend goodbye. "You certainly made grade seven a lot more interesting then I had hopped for. Make sure to keep in contact with me if you don't come back next year. You have my number."  
  
"You have all our numbers." Faye grinned as she hugged him too. "It was fun being your enemy."  
  
Gohan laughed and waved as they disappeared onto the next flight home. He gazed around and saw that his plane would leave next, in half an hour from now. Videl, who was taking another plane to a different area of Japan, would have to wait another two hours to get home.  
  
When the calls for the next flight bellowed over the loud speaker, Gohan darted through the crowd with Hiro hurrying behind him.  
  
"Where are you off to, Gohan? The plane leaves in a few minutes!" Hiro called.  
  
"I have to say goodbye to someone." Gohan called back.  
  
He pushed his way through the crowd and found Videl, standing with her bags and waiting patiently to board the next plane.  
  
"Videl!" Gohan cried as he hurried to her side.  
  
"Gohan! You have to go, you plane-"  
  
"My plane can wait." He replied, cutting her off. "I needed to see you. I needed to say goodbye."  
  
He reached into his bag and pulled out the rose he had stolen at recess from the garden.  
  
"For you, my flower."  
  
Videl's face burnt bright red as she took the single rose in her shaky hand.  
  
"Goodbye Gohan Son." She whispered. "I wish you all the best."  
  
Gohan hugged her tightly. "Miss you. Have a good life, Videl."  
  
"LAST CALLS FOR THE NEXT FLIGHT TO JAPAN!" The irritating voice bellowed over the loud speaker.  
  
"We have to go, Gohan!" Hiro called. "Hurry."  
  
Gohan gave Videl a final wave and then climbed onto the plane, finally ready to go home.  
  
Late the following day, a sharp knock echoed on the Son family's front door. Two year old Goten Son toddled over and pushed it open.  
  
"GOHAN!" He screamed and knocked his older brother to the floor.  
  
Gohan laughed, holding Goten above his head. "Hey little brother! Wow, you've grown so much since I last saw you. You'll be ready to start training with me soon." "YAY, YAY, YAY!" Goten screamed. "Mama, come quick! Gohan is home!"  
  
Chi-Chi came to the front door and gasped. "Gohan! I can't believe your really home!"  
  
"Hey mum!" Gohan stood up and hugged her tightly. "How have you been?"  
  
"We missed you so much, didn't we Goten?" Chi-Chi said as she lifted her toddler son into her arms. "I'm so happy to have you home with us again. It's such a shame that your school isn't closer to home, then loosing you again at the end of the holiday brake would be easier to bare."  
  
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, mother." Gohan said as he came inside and dumped his bags on the floor. "I don't want to go back to Ellawin next year. I want to stay at home and learn here, like I did for my primary school years."  
  
"Why?" Chi-Chi asked as she lifted his bags.  
  
"Because I missed everyone too much." Gohan laughed. "I would rather stay at home or go to a nearby school where I could fly to and from everyday."  
  
Chi-Chi smiled kindly, too overjoyed to see her son to really care. "Is that's what you want to do Gohan, then I really don't mind. I'm just happy that you tried something new for a year and didn't complain to me once. But if going to school overseas doesn't work for you, then you don't have to go back again."  
  
"We missed you too much, Gohan!" Goten piped in.  
  
"Missed you too, Goten." Gohan smiled and hugged his baby brother. "I'm going to Capsule corp. to say hello to Bulma, Vegeta and Trunks. Want to come with me?"  
  
"Yes please!" Goten cried.  
  
"We'll all go." Said Chi-Chi. "It can be a welcome home party for Gohan."  
  
The small family left the house and Gohan couldn't help smiling to the sun. He had had fun at Ellawin, battling ghosts, making close friends and trying to hide his identity. But now he knew, that his real place was here, with his family and friends.  
  
THE END  
  
I final thank you to everyone for all the reviews! They mean a lot to me! 


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